


To Be a Hero

by AmyEatsCake



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Dark, Enemies, F/M, Fights, Friendship, Identity Reveal, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Love/Hate, More Fluff than I originally intended, Relationship(s), Sexual Tension, Some Fluff, Time Travel, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-12
Updated: 2016-05-01
Packaged: 2018-05-26 08:08:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 50,987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6230734
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmyEatsCake/pseuds/AmyEatsCake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What does it take to be a hero?</p><p>Ladybug and Chat Noir have been doing a good job of saving Paris over the past few years, but what happens when they are summoned to a future where the heroes no longer exist?</p><p>Joined by Alya, the pair must learn how to cope with their future selves and a darkness which has the power to destroy them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Step Forward and Back

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't written fanfiction in over six years. I'm a little rusty and probably not half as good as I'd want to be. I've been pulled into the world of Miraculous Ladybug and I'm not even sorry. This show is heavenly and I couldn't resist writing something. I hope you all enjoy it. I've had a lot of fun playing around with the characters and can't wait to write more!

It had been like any other day for Marinette Dupain-Cheng; wake up late and run as fast as humanly possible to school, make it into class just as the final bell rang, trip over Chloe’s foot as she launched herself into her seat beside Alya, give her wonderful friend a cheeky grin and half shrug, turn bright red as the perfect Adrien Agreste caught her eye with a small smile before turning in his seat, spend the rest of the day day-dreaming about said small smile and beg Alya for her notes before happily making her way home and cracking on with a tonne of homework.

 

Oh, and spending her lunch break fighting a crazy akuma lady, who had been annoyed to find a curly hair in her sandwich. The café (crazy akuma lady had been eating in) had quickly been doused in burning bleach as a purple butterfly had infected the irate woman, turning her into _Inspector Sandwich_. The fight hadn’t lasted long as Ladybug and her ever faithful Chat Noir used their super powers to calm the situation and free crazy akuma lady in the record time of eight minutes.

 

Alya had managed to get some amazing clips for her blog and Marinette had been quietly pleased with her and Chat’s effortless teamwork.

 

All in all, a fairly normal day which Marinette rounded off with a relaxing patrol with her energetic kitty.

 

They had just completed a full circuit of their usual spots when a scream shattered their mischievous smiles and moment of peace.

 

As Ladybug, Marinette’s body sprang into action as a huge dose of adrenalin pumped itself around her body. A sense of foreboding washed over her as she and Chat raced towards the sound of someone in distress.

 

As they dropped down into a dark alleyway, Marinette felt her stomach flip and her heart quicken. Standing with her body pressed against the wall and a knife held to her throat, was none other than her vivacious best friend Alya. Her phone was held in one hand as she desperately held onto her attackers armed wrist.

 

Chat shot a quick nod towards her Ladybug self before both charged at the assailant. Using her yoyo, Marinette ripped the filthy bastard’s knife hand away from Alya as Chat hit the man’s feet out from under him. Within seconds, Chat used his baton to deftly knock the man unconscious. It was over in a blink of an eye but Marinette could feel her hand shake as she reached out to the usually bubbly girl.

 

Alya took a shuddering breath as Marinette pulled her into a strange half hug, which she quickly disguised as a check for injuries.

 

“What are you doing in a dingy alleyway all on your own?” Marinette said in her strongest Ladybug voice.

 

“Tracking you!” Alya replied, looking somewhat sheepish. “You always take this route on a Thursday and I generally get lots of great photos for my blog”.

 

“Down a dark alley?” Chat snorted, leaning against his baton which he had extended to look like a cane. “Somewhat risky for a few pictures”.

 

“I was cutting across,” Alya sighed, rubbing her throat. “I can’t always keep up with the pair of you so I use as many short cuts and alleyways as possible when I chase you down.”

 

Marinette groaned, reaching a red covered hand to her forehead. “Alya, that is so stupid. We would let you take as many pictures as you want if you ask us. Dark alleyways and short cuts in the middle of the night are not the way to go about getting new stuff for your blog!”

 

“I know it’s probably not the best idea,” Alya shrugged, “but I have the best Ladybug blog for a reason. I get quality content!”

 

“Your safety is worth more than a blog,” Marinette countered, crossing her arms and frowning. “Who cares about images and footage of us if you’re going to get yourself killed!”

 

“I wasn’t getting myself killed,” Alya said with a casual eye roll and another gentle prod of her throat. “I had the situation under control.”

 

“Really?” Marinette replied, unfolding her arms and pulling Alya’s fingers away so she could get a closer look at the thin blood line left across her best friend’s throat. “Because it looked an awful lot like he was about to slit your throat.”

 

Marinette gave the bastard passed out on the floor a quick nudge with her foot.

 

“He just wanted the phone.”

 

“Were you going to give it to him?”

 

“Of course not!” Alya laughed, holding the phone up as if it was the most precious artefact in the known universe. Which to Alya it probably was.

 

Marinette groaned again and dropped her inspecting hands with a shake of her head. What was she going to do with the crazy girl? She had spent over three years building her blog up to be an absolute masterpiece for any Ladybug or Chat Noir fan. Alya was rightfully proud of her work, but she drove Marinette mad with her reckless abandon. This was not the first time she had needed saving by Ladybug and Chat Noir. Marinette was also certain it would not be the last.

 

“I appreciate your concern,” Alya said with a sincere smile. “Seriously, I think you’re both amazing. I love the blog and I love following you both around. I can’t promise to never do this again, but I’ll try and be a bit more careful.”

 

Chat watched the entire exchange with a thoughtful expression before softly stating, “Ladybug really cares about you.”

 

Marinette gave him a cautious glance. “Erm, yes I do. I care about all the citizens of Paris.”

 

“But especially you,” Chat continued with a calculating look between the two girls.

 

He had been doing this a lot lately. Little pieces of information Chat had stored up during their time as partners had been leaking out of his mouth at strange moments. Marinette knew his desire to know her outside the mask and his desire to respect her wishes had been at constant war with each other since the moment they met. Unfortunately for her, Chat was clearly edging towards the desire to unmask as they got older.

 

Alya had turned to give him a smug look, “Well I have interviewed Ladybug loads!”

 

“I know,” Chat replied kindly, “I’ve read them all.”

 

“Speaking of interviews,” Alya’s grin spread even further across her face, “fancy giving me a tell all interview about the recent spike in akuma victims with ridiculous names and powers?”

 

“I think it would be best if we got you home,” Marinette huffed, moving to pull Alya into her strong embrace. “You need to get that cut looked at.”

 

“It’s just a scratch,” she laughed, gazing at Marinette with admiration. “I’ll be fine.”

 

“If you’re taking our star reporter home,” Chat said as he moved over the forgotten thug’s body, “I’ll get this scumbag dropped off at the police station.”

 

Marinette nodded, then paused as a sudden blinding hot pain shot through her brain. She gasped and pulled Alya tighter as Chat rushed to her side. Tikki let out cry of warning in the deep recesses of her mind.

 

“My Lady?”

 

Marinette tried to respond as a dizzying heat pulsed its way around her body. She blinked against the white light flitting across her eyes and lightly stepped towards Chat’s gentle grasp around her right hand. Alya continued to stand on her left but was now pulling her arm around Marinette’s waist. She leaned precariously as the world around her darkened. The sounds of Paris at night diminished into an unnatural hum. Even Tikki’s warnings of danger became hard to hear.

 

The last thing she heard as her eyes fluttered shut was the strangely comforting sound of both her best friends shouting her superhero name.

 

“ _Ladybug!”_

~O~

 

Adrien paused in his attempt to pick the mugger off the floor as he caught the pained expression which had made its way onto his Lady’s face. Any plans for the man laying on the floor were forgotten as it became evident that something was seriously wrong. All colour had drained from Ladybug’s face as he leapt to her side and carefully took her hand.

 

“My Lady?” Adrien murmured with concern. He watched as she swayed dangerously and finally gave in to whatever pain was inflicting her. Ladybug’s eyes rolled as she fell into a dead faint.

 

“Ladybug!” He shouted at the same time Alya cried out to the heroine.

 

They moved as one to support her. Adrien gasped as a tingling began to creep up his arms. His heart quickened as he felt Plagg stirring somewhere in the back of his mind. Something was wrong, terribly wrong. Ayla let out a hiss as she evidently felt a similar sickening sensation.

 

A darkness fell over them and all of the air within Adrien’s lungs was squeezed uncomfortably out of him. His body felt like it was on fire and his hair stood on end. He tried to blink against the black force pressing against his eyes but it was no use. Adrien knew he must be dying. His body felt as if it had risen up and he was now weightless.

 

Then, as quickly as it had started, the tingling stopped and the darkness lifted. Adrien’s feet hit the ground hard and glorious oxygen filled his lungs again. The burning subsided and he could breathe again. Taking full advantage of this, Adrien took deep, shuddering breaths and pulled the warm bodies beside him even closer.

 

He blinked against the onslaught of his sight coming back to him and looked towards Ladybug and Alya. His Lady continued to slump against the two of them. Alya caught his eye in wonder.

 

“What the fuck was that?” She panted, holding Ladybug with a shaking arm.

 

“I don’t know,” Adrien replied truthfully, eyeing his surroundings with cat like curiosity. They were no longer in the standard Paris alleyway. Gone was the collection of dustbins and Alya’s attacker. In it’s place seemed to be an abandoned warehouse. It was just as dark and dingy. It also seemed to scream _danger_.

 

Ladybug groaned between them and shifted against their bodies.

 

“Bugaboo,” Adrien cooed, as relief coursed through him. “Are you okay?”

 

“I – I think so,” she stuttered, moving to lean into him. Alya let her go with a gentle pat on the shoulder.

 

“We’ve somehow been transported away from the alleyway,” Adrien noted, pulling Ladybug into a careful embrace.

 

“Into a pigeon invested shithole,” Alya replied, wrinkling her nose and slowly moving in a circle to take in the expansive room. It was derelict and filthy.

 

_“Incoming,”_ Plagg noted wearily through his and Adrien’s connection. Ladybug’s Kwami must have given a similar warning as she straightened in his arms and gave a quick glance around them.

 

Chat held his baton in preparation for whatever or whoever was about to join their party. What he was not expecting was a rush of black energy, much like his Cataclysm power, and purple pulsing light swirling menacingly in front of them. Within seconds the strange magic had cleared, leaving behind a startlingly familiar young woman. She smiled knowingly at them, brushing her blue-black hair out of her eyes and standing tall.

 

Beside him, Ladybug gasped.

 

“What a treat,” she grinned, her voice unmistakable; sweet and soothing. “This was not what I expected when I was alerted to a magical anomaly.”

 

She took a step towards them as Ladybug took her own step backwards.

 

The young woman moved with a self assured confidence he had never seen her have. She cocked her hip at Ladybug’s obvious distress and raised an eyebrow.

 

“M-Marinette?” Alya stuttered, sounding unsure.

 

“In a manner of speaking,” the woman laughed, putting her hands on her hips and eyeing each of them with interest.

 

Adrien frowned, trying to pinpoint what exactly was wrong with the Marinette standing in front of him. She was clearly older; a woman stood before him with a slightly fuller figure and not an ounce of baby fat on her pretty face. Marinette’s adorable cheeks had gone and in their place was a strikingly beautiful woman. Her unique hair had grown longer and she now wore it in a smart ponytail, high on her head. She wore skin tight black trousers and a black tank top. A tailored jacket with what looked like metal armour covered her shoulders, just as dark as the rest of her outfit. Sturdy boots completed her look. It was hard and unforgiving; nothing like younger Marinette’s style.

 

This Marinette’s confidence also shone against her powerful outfit. There was nothing nervous or cute about her. She oozed certainty. Adrien wasn’t sure whether to be impressed or worried.

 

_“Be cautious,”_ Plagg warned.

 

Older Marinette’s eyes glittered as she caught him giving her the once over. Her grin grew even wider as she concentrated on him.

 

“Hello Little Kitty,” She practically purred, placing a hand on his chest. “Look at you!”

 

A strange expression passed over her face, making Adrien feel strangely warm around the collar.

 

Ladybug finally seemed to pull herself out of whatever uncertainty had gripped her. She rushed forward, pushing Adrien out of the way and staring Older Marinette down.

 

“What is going on?” She hissed, holding her yoyo tightly and placing herself between Adrien and Alya. “Why are we here?”

 

“Easy Bug,” the woman smirked, placing a hand out in front of her in a casual manner. Black and purple sparks lazily swirled around her elegant fingers. It was a clear threat.

 

“You’re older,” Ayla remarked with a hint of excitement in her voice. She was clearly unconcerned by the seductively dark woman standing in front of them. “Like, how much older are we talking?”

 

The mysterious Marinette chuckled, waving her hand around just as casually. The sparks quickly extinguished. “I’m twenty-three.”

 

“Twenty-three!” Alya exclaimed, “Oh my god girl!”

 

She rushed forward, grabbing Marinette’s shoulders and giving her an excited shake. Marinette now stood slightly taller than Alya, and her presence seemed to completely overpower the cheeky teen.

 

“Look at you,” Alya continued to gush, “You are a stunner!”

 

Adrien couldn’t argue with that. She was breath-taking in more ways than one.

 

Ladybug made to move forward but paused as Marinette pulled Alya into a hug.

 

It was such a strange sight to see. Adrien was so used to Alya being the more dominant member of their friendship. His image of them always included a loud Alya supporting her somewhat nervous friend, always pushing Marinette forward and being a caring support.

 

The older Marinette was obviously more dominant, without even really trying. Her mere presence was awe inspiring.

 

“Why are we here?” Ladybug snapped, folding her arms protectively. She was still stood slightly in front of Adrien. He could tell by her body language that she was deeply uncomfortable.

“Relax Ladybug,” Marinette smirked, “I won’t give away your little secrets. Although I’m guessing Tikki won’t be able to keep you suited up forever.”

 

“Tikki?” Alya asked, spinning round to look at Ladybug. “What’s a Tikki?”

 

“She’s the luck god who gives me the power to transform into Ladybug,” she replied dismissively. “We aren’t staying long enough for my transformation to wear off. Tell us how to leave.”

 

“How do you know about Ladybug’s Kwami?” Adrien asked with interest. He knew Marinette and Ladybug had interacted before but he hadn’t been aware of any closeness between the two. Adrien had always thought that perhaps Marinette was a fan of Ladybug and fittingly styled her hair in the same manner as the masked beauty.

 

“How do I know about Ladybug’s Kwami?” Marinette laughed, tapping her chin thoughtfully. She glanced towards Ladybug. “You will be staying a while. I can’t send you back to your time without help. We’ll need to talk to Fu.”

 

“You know Fu?” Adrien asked, becoming increasingly confused.

 

“What’s a Fu?” Alya said with as much confusion.

 

Ladybug placed her head into her hands. “This is a nightmare. We can’t be stuck six years into the future.”

 

“Well believe it,” Marinette cackled. “A few things have changed around here.”

 

“Evidently,” Alya beamed, obviously impressed with the Marinette she saw before her. “How did you get a power?”

 

“It’s a long story,” Marinette replied, her eyes darkening. Adrien felt the hot feeling around his collar again. “A mangy cat couldn’t mind his own business.”

 

Ladybug bristled beside him. “You shouldn’t be telling us anything!”

 

“Sorry to burst that innocent little bubble Bug,” Marinette said, rolling her eyes and motioning for them to follow her towards the closest exit. “You are going to see the future without much help from me. You’re walking through it.”

 

She pushed a rusty, old door open with a strong hand and led them out into the street. The area looked entirely deserted. Buildings were crumbling wrecks. Car shells smoked around them and Paris seemed eerily quiet save for an odd scream in the distance.

 

“Welcome to the future,” Marinette grinned, waving her hands around theatrically.

 

Adrien, Ladybug and Alya all stood with their mouths open, taking in the desolate scene in front of them.

“What the hell happened,” Alya breathed, “It looks like a war zone.”

 

“I suppose it is,” Marinette shrugged, beginning to walk confidently down the road in front of them.

 

The three teenagers glanced at each other before cautiously following her.

 

“I don’t like this,” Ladybug said, frowning as she picked her way across burnt and destroyed debris. “I don’t like this at all.”

 

“Well you’re going to have to get used to it for the time being,” Marinette called out, seemingly far too cheerful about the situation.

 

Adrien placed his hands out to helpfully guide his Lady over a pile of bricks. Alya had already rushed forward, trying to catch up with her _best friend_.

 

“You might want to consider having a conversation about your identities too,” Marinette said, throwing a grin their way. “Chat Noir and Ladybug will not be able to keep their masks for too much longer and I can assure you, they are not heroes here.”

 

Adrien glanced uneasily at Ladybug. She looked extremely pale as she pulled her hand out of his.

 

If Ladybug and Chat Noir were no longer heroes, what had happened to them?

 

This entire situation felt wrong. The Marinette before him was not the sweetie pie he knew. The Paris they were walking down was not the one he was had walked a thousand times. Adrien could feel Plagg worrying around his mind and his Lady looked scared for the first time in years.

 

They were in trouble and he didn’t know what to do.

 

 

~O~

 


	2. Friendships and Fears

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the warm response to chapter one! As I've said, I've really enjoyed playing around with the characters and can't wait to share more.

Alya couldn’t stop staring at her grown up best friend. She literally couldn’t take her eyes off the beauty strolling slightly ahead of them. Her little Marinette had become an actual goddess. She oozed sexiness by the bucket load and had a confidence unmatched by anyone she’d ever met. It was awe inspiring to see.

 

It shouldn’t really have been so shocking. Alya had always known Marinette was a little spitfire but to actually see her, in all her glory and without a single hesitation in her movements, was something special. Pride filled Alya’s heart and her cheeks ached from grinning so much.

 

So she seemed to have developed some sort of power?

 

So Paris seemed to be falling apart?

 

Who cared, if her friend was walking around looking like that!

 

The older Marinette paused as they moved onto a familiar road. Alya knew this street well. She had travelled it many times with her friend.

 

Beside her, Alya heard gasps of shock. Chat Noir and Ladybug had both stopped to gaze at the remains of the houses which once covered the exclusive neighbourhood. It looked as if someone had sent hundreds of bombs to this location. Rubble and dust covered the landscape, with only one imposingly recognisable mansion standing forebodingly amongst it all.

 

Marinette, the goddess, gave each of them an appraising glance before continuing on her path. Alya was shocked to see she was heading straight for the grand home, with little regard to the rest of her surroundings.

 

“Why are we going to the Agreste manor?” Ladybug asked curiously.

 

“It’s the safest place for you,” Marinette replied, crossing the road and making her way towards the large wrought iron gates.

 

“Why?” Chat Noir said, sounding surprised.

 

“It’s where I live,” Marinette responded, flicking the gates open with a swirl of black orbs. “And where I live is where you are safest.”

 

“You live with Adrien?” Alya squealed, following Marinette into the manor’s courtyard with a bounce in her step. She chose to ignore the strange magic pulsating around the older girl’s hands. “Oh my god! When did that happen? Are you actually together? I knew he wouldn’t be able to resist you once you got over all that stuttering!”

 

Marinette put her hand up to halt Alya’s excited babble. “I don’t live with Adrien Agreste.”

Alya paused, opening her mouth and then quickly shutting it again. What the hell did that mean?

 

“So are you some sort of lodger?” Ladybug asked, looking slightly pink under her red and black mask.

 

“I don’t know what I would call me,” Marinette answered truthfully, sweeping up the polished steps and signalling for the two dark figures (who had been guarding the door) to move with her hands.

 

Something pink flashed across the guard’s faces as the group passed them, making Alya jump and look back at them as she entered the manor.

 

“Why do you need guards?” Chat Noir asked, also giving them another glance as the doors began to close behind him.

 

“Did you see what Paris looks like?” Marinette replied with a raise of an eyebrow. “Things have changed and I refuse to be beaten.”

 

“Beaten by who?” Ladybug said as they began to climb the impressive manor stairs.

 

“The evils of the world,” Marinette grinned, making Alya’s spine tingle unexpectedly.

 

She led them further into the beautiful building. It looked exactly how Alya remembered it; stylish, smart and empty. No personal touches could be found anywhere. Even the portrait of Adrien and his father had disappeared. This was certainly not a home.

 

They came to a stop outside a white door on the second floor. Marinette ushered them inside and Alya felt her jaw drop at the size of the room. Huge windows bathed the room in warm light whilst the white walls gleamed smartly. A large bed stood in the middle of the room and a sofa area had been set up in the corner. Doors led off to wardrobes and a bathroom area. All in all, it was an extremely impressive bedroom.

 

“You will be staying in here whilst we work out how you managed to travel here,” Marinette said, standing in the doorway and watching them look around the room. “I will have some clothes and toiletries sent up to you shortly.”

 

“You want us to stay in this room?” Chat asked, crossing his arms. “All three of us together?”

 

“Yes Little Kitty,” Marinette replied, “you will be safer together.”

 

“We can’t stay together,” Ladybug huffed. “We don’t want to share our identities.”

 

Marinette laughed, “I will send some cheese and cookies up for Plagg and Tikki but understand this; the game stops here. I will not help you keep your facade up. I have long given up on the hiding and the secrets. If we are going to work together to get you home, I suggest you do the same.”

 

Ladybug shifted uncomfortably as Chat took a step forward.

 

“You don’t get to decide when we share our civilian sides,” he protested, trying to support his Lady and her wishes for privacy. “We don’t need to know that to work together.”

 

“We shall see about that,” Marinette said, before giving them a wicked grin and strolling out out of the room. The door closed with a resounding bang and black sparks shimmered around the frame.

 

Chat ran to the door and gave it a hard tug but it didn’t budge.

 

“She’s locked us in,” he fumed, moving to try the windows. They stayed glued shut too.

 

“She’s just trying to keep us safe,” Alya argued, trying to defend her friend. “I’m sure Marinette will let us back out soon.”

 

“I’m sure she won’t,” Ladybug countered, folding her arms and looking at Alya with concern. “She might look like your best friend –”

 

“– Don’t start jumping to incorrect conclusions,” Alya said, giving Ladybug her full attention. “I know Marinette better than anyone. She is the nicest, kindest human being on the planet. Even if things have taken a nose dive in the future, she wouldn’t change into some sort of monster. She is whole heartedly good.”

 

“ _Alya_ ,” Ladybug muttered softly, gazing at her with wide eyes and a loving smile. “Your Marinette _is_ many things. This older Marinette could be many other things. She certainly has some sort of dark power which I know your friend does not currently hold. She has also locked us in a room in Agreste manor. Your Marinette would not do that.”

 

“Well,” Alya shrugged, “my Marinette does like stealing phones.”

 

Ladybug laughed, “Stealing phones could be the start of a terrible life of crime.”

 

“Regardless of whether Marinette is good or evil,” Chat Noir replied, joining their conversation from his spot on the window sill, “Something doesn’t add up with this entire situation.”

 

Ladybug nodded, moving to join her partner on his ledge. “It’s all a bit fishy.”

 

“So what do we know?” Alya asked, pulling her phone out to make notes. “Paris is mostly destroyed, you are no longer heroes, Marinette has a strange power and we have all been taken from our past.”

 

“My Kwami can’t sense Ladybug in this time at all,” Chat muttered, placing a careful clawed hand on his partner’s bent leg. “He can only sense you.”

 

“No Ladybug at all?” Alya frowned, “is that even possible?”

“No Chat Noir either,” Ladybug sighed. “My Kwami says it’s as if her power doesn’t even exist anymore.”

 

“That’s a depressing thought,” Alya replied, watching the two heroes with interest.

 

She couldn’t help but feel a sense of appreciation for whatever force allowed her to be part of this moment. Sure, everything looked bleak and there were more questions than answers at this point. But Alya was on an actual _adventure_ of sorts, with the two superheroes of Paris! Her fascination with the masked wonders was somewhat overpowering her apprehension of the situation.

 

Ladybug seemed to sense Alya’s thoughts because she caught the girl’s eye and sighed. “You are enjoying this.”

 

Alya shrugged sheepishly, “I get to spend some time with the two most intriguing people in the world.”

 

Chat Noir laughed ruefully, “We’re going to get a lot less intriguing when our transformations wear off.”

 

Ladybug stiffened beside him and he gave her a quick leg pat.

 

“Why don’t you take it in turns to refuel in the bathroom?” Alya suggested, trying to be supportive. She had always thought she would love to be the one to finally unmask them, but sitting with the pair now, she had no such desire. It was evident that they were both scared by the prospect of appearing without the masks.

 

Chat nodded, “we’ll be really careful.”

 

Alya gave the two heroes a reassuring nod before making her way to the sofa area and plonking down. She sat in silence, allowing all of her thoughts to catch up with her, before pulling out her phone. Thinking of Marinette, Alya pushed her glasses higher on her nose and quickly pressed the dial button on her best friend’s contact picture. She held her breath for a second, as the call tried to connect.

 

Nothing.

 

Not a single sound came through. Not even an incorrect dial tone.

 

Alya sighed sadly and tapped to end the call.

 

She wondered what Marinette would actually say if she was here.

 

 

~O~

 

Three days.

 

Three days of carefully timing each trip to the bathroom so that they could give Tikki and Plagg a rest and recharge.

 

Three days of being locked in a room with her best friends, yet unable to really be herself with either of them.

 

Marinette was slowly going insane.

 

Her older self had left them alone. They didn’t have a clue what was going on and the room had remained sealed. Food appeared on large silver platters in a swirl of black and purple lights. It disappeared in much the same way an hour later. Bags had been sent to them; each containing spare clothes, toiletries and various items to keep them entertained. Alya had received a goody bag of tech (including a very whizzy phone and laptop). Chat Noir had found a collection of video games and a console. Marinette’s own bundle had included a beautiful sketchpad and artist pencils. Both Alya and Chat had looked at her treats with interest so she had refrained from using them.

 

Lunch had just arrived, along with a separate plate of cookies and two huge wheels of camembert. Older Marinette was definitely looking after them but it all felt wrong. They were being kept prisoners even if the room was comfy and the food was good.

 

Marinette glanced at Chat, silently asking if he would like to use the bathroom first. He gave a gentle shake of the head and continued his silent brooding on the window sill. The light-footed superhero seemed to have taken up residency there.

 

With a soft squeeze of his arm, Marinette collected the plate of cookies and made her way to the luxurious bathroom. Making quick work of the lock, she slowly slid down to the floor and released Tikki.

 

Her beautiful Kwami shot out of her earrings and into Marinette’s awaiting hands.

 

“Tikki,” she sighed, rubbing her cheek against the little luck goddess.

 

“It will be okay,” Tikki said reassuringly. ‘Everything is confusing but we are together and we will sort this out.’

 

“What can you sense?”

 

“Well,” Tikki started, picking up a cookie and nibbling thoughtfully. “I can’t find myself or Plagg in this time. Our Miraculous powers are not being welded at all. Good luck and bad luck is not in play here. I can only sense chaos.”

 

“How is that even possible?” Marinette muttered, rubbing her face with her free hand.

 

“It would take a huge amount of power to infect or damage me,” Tikki replied, continuing to eat her cookie with delicate bites. “it’s never happened before.”

 

“I hate not knowing what has happened,” Marinette moaned. “Me without you just doesn’t feel natural.”

 

“No,” Tikki agreed, “nor is the power your older self seems to be using.”

 

“Do you think we could get weird Marinette on her own and interrogate her?”

 

“I-I don’t think she would tell us anything,” Tikki yawned. “We need to wait until she makes her move. I don’t think we’ll be kept here forever.”

 

“We won’t be able to keep the constant transformations up without a break from Chat and Alya,” Marinette said, gazing at her little cutie worriedly. “You are getting more and more tired.”

 

“I can keep you as Ladybug for as long as you need,” Tikki smiled sleepily. “I will just be useless if we need lucky charm because I have slightly lower energy levels.”

 

“You never cease to amaze me.”

 

Tikki beamed up at her, before picking up another cookie. “Just make sure you look after yourself too. You haven’t slept a wink since we arrived.”

 

“It’s hard to sleep when we have one bed and two inquisitive friends watching my every move.”

 

“You still need to sleep,” Tikki giggled. “You’re more likely to slip up if you’re exhausted.”

 

The three humans had been very respectful of each other. Chat had refused the bed instantly. He moved from the window sill to the sofa, never touching the snuggly king size bed. Ayla had politely offered the bed to Ladybug but Marinette had laughed and suggested they share. Ayla had flushed with happiness, and quickly jumped onto the mattress on their first night. Marinette had only got into the bed when she was sure her best friend was asleep. She had been unable to relax and sleep had not come to her. For two nights she had listened to Ayla’s light snoring and watched Chat move restlessly across the room hourly. Marinette’s eyes were starting to feel heavy and a dull headache had crept across her forehead.

 

“I will try and get some sleep tonight,” Marinette promised.

 

Tikki nodded, polishing off another cookie and preparing for her return into the Miraculous earrings. “You should probably have a little talk with Chat too. He is really struggling.”

 

“He is restless,” Marinette agreed. “It’s hard to talk in front of Alya though.”

 

“Try tonight when Alya is asleep,” Tikki suggested as Marinette gave her a delicate kiss.

 

“I’ll try,” she said softly. “Are you ready to go back?”

 

Tikki nodded and smiled reassuringly.

 

_“Spots on_!”

 

As Ladybug, Marinette strolled out of the room with a determined frown. She spent the rest of the day watching her Kitty and planning what to say to him. Luck seemed to be on her side, as Alya fell asleep quickly that evening. Marinette waited until she was in a deep sleep and snoring softly before making her way over to the classy sofa.

 

Chat was stretched out on his belly with one arm hanging limply to the ground. He glanced up at her as she made her way over to him and lightly sat on the floor beside him.

 

“Chaton,” she whispered, giving his beautiful blond hair a light caress.

 

Chat’s eyes fluttered shut at her touch. He made no move to get up or speak.

 

“Are you alright?” Marinette asked softly, allowing her hand to stay on his head and rubbing delicately. Their relationship had always involved being comfortable with touching each other. As the years passed, Marinette often found solace in their easy touches and warm embraces. He was a flirt, but he always put her feelings first. Trust was key to their partnership.

 

“Confused,” he muttered, keeping his eyes shut. “Plagg is constantly uneasy inside my head and I can’t sleep in this awful room.”

 

“Awful?” Marinette replied with a raise of an eyebrow. The room was beautiful in its simplicity and style.

 

“Awful as in a prison disguised as a bedroom,” Chat sighed, opening one eye. “I feel restless.”

 

Marinette nodded, “We need to get out of here.”

 

“Next time the mysterious woman makes an appearance,” he said carefully, opening his other eye and giving her his complete attention. “We’ll make a move to escape.”

 

“She has a strange power,” Marinette noted. “Do you think we can?”

 

“Bugaboo,” Chat smiled tenderly at her. “Together we are unstoppable.”

 

Marinette chuckled quietly, mindful of the sleeping Alya. “I wish I felt as confident right now.”

 

“Whatever is going on,” Chat whispered, pulling Marinette’s closest hand up to his lips and resting a soft kiss upon it, “we do this together.”

 

Marinette warmed affectionately at her wonderful partner. He never ceased to make her feel safe in the face of danger. Squeezing happily, she allowed her hand to stay rested in his larger one and placed her cheek against his shoulder.

 

“We will always do this together.”

 

Feeling comfortable for the first time since their arrived, Marinette felt her body relax against the leather clad young man. Everything felt muddled; except him. He was a shining light in the darkness and had long been a necessity in her life. With Chat’s support, Marinette truly believed Ladybug could take on anything.

 

She felt her eyes begin to flutter closed and knew sleep wasn’t far away. Snuggling closer to the warmth of Chat Noir, Marinette gave a silent thanks to whoever had deemed him her other half. As superheroes they were a perfect team and she would be damned if a trip into the future ruined that.

 

They exhaled as one, as sleep claimed them.

  

 

~O~


	3. Liars and Lovers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Enter Adrien Agreste...

“God, you are both so cute!”

 

Adrien groaned as Alya’s booming voice pulled him out of a Ladybug infused dream. He was delightfully warm down one side and really didn’t feel the need to enter the land of the living just yet.

 

“I can’t believe I am actually seeing this!”

 

“So loud,” he grumbled, his face squashed against a sofa pillow.

 

“Alya, shudup!” His Lady complained, close to his ear.

 

The excitable girl laughed heartily.

 

“Oh Ladybug, I love you too!”

 

Adrien gave another groan before admitting defeat, prising his eyes open and blinking against the morning light.

 

“You,” he stated, “are too loud.”

 

“She’s always too loud,” Ladybug muttered against him.

 

“I am!” Alya agreed cheerfully, throwing a pillow at the pair. “Can I take a picture of you both?”

 

“No!” Ladybug exclaimed, lifting her head off of Adrien. She had obviously slept on the floor beside him all night. The thought sent butterflies straight to his belly. “Put the phone away.”

 

“Wow, the Paris Supers are not morning people. I thought you would both be little rays of sunshine, but I guess spending most of your nights on patrol has left you nocturnal. Do you always cuddle each other when you’re asleep?” Alya asked mischievously, speaking far too quickly and with a tad too much zeal.

 

“Only when the need arises,” Adrien winked. He sat up and stretched like his namesake, feeling his back muscles ping pleasingly.

 

“We weren’t cuddling,” Ladybug pouted, leaning her back against the bottom of the sofa and running her red clad fingers over her face.

 

“You know,” Alya grinned, “if you need some alone time I would be happy to give up the bed.”

 

Ladybug groaned into her hands as Adrien’s face heated up.

 

“I could have a nice long bath and put some music on,” Alya continued gleefully. “You wouldn’t even know I was here!”

 

“ _That_ is not necessary,” Ladybug replied, getting to her feet and stomping towards the bathroom. “Chat and I are just friends.”

 

“Oh yeah,” Alya nodded, following the superhero with her eyes, “totally just friends. Never mind the constant _touching_ that seems to take place between the pair of you.”

 

Ladybug halted at the door and frowned. “What?”

 

“You know,” Alya replied, glancing between her and Adrien. “The touching of every bloody part of your bodies in some way or another. Every fight involves something!”

 

Adrien stared at the girl blankly and rubbed the back of his neck. He either wasn’t awake or wasn’t keeping track. When had their bodies touched?

 

“You mean when Chat has to catch me or throw me?” Ladybug asked folding her arms. “Or when we need to save each other from akuma battles? Or when one of us gets injured?”

 

“All of it,” Alya nodded, “plus the little hand kisses and cuddles in between!”

 

Adrien laughed, as a large breakfast platter appeared on the small coffee table beside the sofa. “I hardly think that qualifies as our bodies _constantly touching_. It’s just part of the job.”

 

“Exactly,” Ladybug agreed, sending Adrien a thankful smile.

 

“So the sleepy cuddles I witnessed this morning was nothing more than you heroes doing your job?” Alya smirked. “Jeez, I need to find me a superhero _friend_.”

 

Ladybug stuck her tongue out at her as she exited the room. Adrien and Alya both chuckled at her childish behaviour.

 

“You can nod and agree to the friendship thing all you want,” Alya continued, helping herself to some melon and sitting across from Adrien. “But you love her and I truly believe she loves you.”

 

“I do,” Adrien agreed quietly, busying himself with buttering a croissant. “I would also love you to be correct about Ladybug, but I think it’s safe to say LB only feels platonic things towards me. I am her partner and nothing more than that.”

 

Alya snorted in disagreement, “Chat Noir you are blind.”

 

Adrien shrugged but said no more. As much as he desperately wanted something to happen between himself and the beautiful friend he had worshipped for years, Adrien knew that she didn’t feel quite so enamoured. He had long ago come to terms with it, even if his traitorous heart wouldn’t let him give up on the idea.

Alya opened her mouth to obviously continue discussing his non-existent love life when the door opened and an impeccably dressed Nathalie entered. Adrien gazed at her in shock. She hadn’t changed a bit and stood just as smartly as her past self would have.

 

“Miss Dupain-Cheng would like to see you all,” she said in her usual business tone. “Please follow me.”

 

“Ladybug!” Alya raised an eyebrow and called across the room. “Get your arse out here, we have been summoned.”

 

Something was knocked over as LB fumbled for the bathroom door. She rushed out to meet them looking worried.

 

“Summoned?”

 

“Marinette wants to speak to us,” Adrien explained, motioning to Nathalie and standing up. He watched as a shocked expression passed across her pretty features.

 

She eyed Nathalie strangely. “Do you still work here?”

 

“Yes Miss Ladybug,” Nathalie ushered them out of the room and they followed briskly. “I am a personal assistant.”

 

“Sweet!” Alya grinned, looking impressed.

 

Adrien noticed that Ladybug didn’t seem to share the feeling.

 

What the hell had happened to make Nathalie give up working for his father and instead seek employment with Marinette?

 

 

~O~

 

 

As they entered a large office, Marinette felt an uneasy feeling settle in her stomach. The room was clinically clean and blinding white. Not a single personal touch could be found save for a bookcase along one wall. This was not the office of a human being. It was devoid of anything substantial or worthwhile. No photos or trinkets, no love or emotion. Everything felt wrong. The woman sat behind a desk, in the white leather chair across from them, also gave Marinette cause for concern.

 

“Hello,” she greeted, gesturing for the group of teenagers to sit down in front of her. “I’m sorry I haven’t called for you sooner.”

 

“Oh don’t worry,” Marinette snapped, folding her arms and refusing to sit. Her companions had no problems seating themselves politely. They both regarded her with concern. “You’ve only kept us prisoners for three days, in a room with only one bed, and without bothering to give either of us a chance to properly rest Tikki and Plagg.”

She gestured between herself and Chat, ignoring his questioning look. “But its fine. You keep us waiting as long as you want.”

 

Her older self smirked as she finished her rant. “It is your choice to not show your true self Ladybug. You could try being a little less selfish and Tikki would be able to rest as much as she wanted.”

 

“I’m not being selfish,” Marinette retorted, folding her arms across herself more. “I am being careful.”

 

“Carefully selfish,” the woman laughed, “but carry on holding your precious façade and I’ll carry on supplying your damn cookies.”

 

Marinette opened her mouth to snap back but Alya cut in.

 

“Why did you want to see us?”

 

Never taking her piercing blue eyes off Marinette’s face, her older self smiled. “I have been tracking information regarding your little visit. It seems someone opened a portal to allow you to come here. More specifically, it seems like Ladybug was summoned through a portal.”

 

“Ladybug was summoned here?” Chat asked with a frown. “Who would want to do that?”

 

“Many,” older Marinette shrugged, moving her penetrating gaze to the handsome young man. “A few people more than others though. People who want access to Ladybug’s powers or perhaps to Ladybug her self.”

 

“So what do we do?” Alya replied, ever the proactive thinker.

 

“ _You_ do nothing at this moment,” the woman said firmly, standing up and moving around to lean against the glass of her desk. “I am doing everything in my power to find out who is involved and how exactly I send you back.”

 

Marinette eyed the woman with trepidation. This was supposed to be her in around six years’ time. This strange woman with a hard exterior was her future. It didn’t sit right with Marinette. The way the woman carried herself, presented herself (today’s outfit was a stylish black shirt dress and kick arse heels) and spoke was too formal. She was rigid and unyielding, without any of young Marinette’s warmth.

 

“I don’t trust you,” Marinette said honestly.

 

“Of course you don’t,” the woman laughed, running a hand through her tousled long hair. It flowed around her face seductively. “You are right not to, _yet_. You barely know me and I have done nothing to earn your trust.”

 

“I know you,” Alya argued, “we’re best friends. I know you better than anyone. I would trust you with my life.”

 

“We were best friends once,” she agreed sadly, cupping Alya’s cheek. “But I wasn’t able to keep you safe. You should probably re-evaluate the whole _trusting with your life_ thing.”

 

“I’m dead?” Alya asked softly.

 

“She can’t be dead,” Marinette uttered, feeling her heart ache and her eyes sting. “I would always protect her!”

 

“Well,” older Marinette replied, dropping her hand and sitting straighter. “Alya is definitely dead and Ladybug definitely didn’t protect her.”

 

“T-that’s not right,” Marinette cried, feeling her body tremble. A world without Alya was unthinkable. Her dearest Alya, gone.

 

“We’ve never lost a civilian,” Chat said with certainty. “Lucky Charm always fixes things.”

 

“Lucky Charm fixes akuma related things,” older Marinette corrected. “It does not fix cold bloodied murder.”

 

“You s-shouldn’t be telling us this,” Marinette stuttered, backing away from them as her eyes filled with tears. “We s-shouldn’t k-know any of t-this.”

 

Alya stood to join her by the bookcase. “Hey, it’s okay.”

 

Marinette shook her head and took a gasping breath, “I should b-be able to k-keep you safe from e-everything.”

 

The brunette pulled her into a gentle hug. “Girl, shit happens. I’m only here with you because I was being held at knife point by some crazy nut-job. I’m obviously not very good at listening to advice about my safety.”

 

“Maybe things will change,” her future self noted from her perch against the desk. “You might go back and never let this happen. Perhaps that is why you are here; whoever brought you here may wish to affect your decisions when you get back home. They may be counting on the _butterfly effect_.”

 

“Whatever we see and hear will affect our decisions in our own time,” Chat nodded, standing to join the girls. “We can put things right.”

 

“Yes,” older Marinette agreed, “a lot could be changed with your journey here.”

 

The phone rang, pulling them all out of their thoughts. The future Marinette frown, leaning over to put the person on speakerphone. “I thought I said not to disturb us?”

 

“Sorry Miss Dupain-Cheng,” Nathalie’s voiced echoed around the room, “but I thought you should know; Mr Agreste has just let himself in. He is adamant that he sees you.”

 

Older Marinette sighed, “What exactly does he want?”

 

“I want to speak to you Princess,” a velvety smooth voice reverberated out to them.

 

With a heavy sigh, older Marinette sent a strange spark over to the three teenagers. They felt the effects instantly. A shimmering barrier seemed to form around them, glowing purple before disappearing completely.

 

“I don’t want to speak to you,” the woman replied, flexing her fingers and looking like she was about to prepare for battle.

 

A whirlwind of black and purple swirled around the room before clearing to show a grinning Adrien Agreste. He stood tall and proud in his leather jacket and skinny jeans. Marinette couldn’t stop the gasp from escaping her lips; he was utterly breath-taking. She had harboured a crush on him for years but she could never have predicted he would actually improve with age. Being a full grown man had done wonders to him.

 

Alya and Chat both gave her a panicked look but the barrier seemed to work because neither future Adrien or Marinette looked over to where she was standing. They continued to eye each other as the energy in the room cackled electrically.

 

“I don’t think you have a choice,” the devilishly handsome man chuckled. “You are up to something and I want to know what.”

 

“Paranoia setting in again?”

 

“Call it a hunch,” Adrien smirked, making his way towards her confidently and coming to a stop inches from Marinette’s face. “You have something _special_ hidden from me.”

 

“Do I?” She smiled sweetly, “now why would I do that?”

 

“Why indeed,” he muttered, grazing a hand against her left leg and gently pushing her dress up to reveal a small knife strapped to her thigh.

 

The bluenette slapped his hand away. “I think you’ve been drinking.”

 

Chat Noir shifted uncomfortably beside Alya and Marinette.

 

“You are the drinker my love,” Adrien cooed, pushing her older self up onto the desk and shifting her legs open so that he was even closer. “So, care to explain what’s going on in Papa’s little house of horrors?”

 

“The usual,” future Marinette shrugged, leaning back to rest her hands on the desk. “I have Volpina and her never ending group of followers tracking my every move, I have the Paris police force continuing to attempt raids over here and I have an annoying _cat_ hanging around causing problems.”

 

Marinette and Chat chanced a glance at each other. They had met Volpina a handful of times in the last couple of years. She was another Miraculous holder and a superb Italian superhero. They had all worked together to bring down some of Hawkmoth’s trickier akuma creations. She was a lovely girl with excellent lute playing abilities. Why would older Marinette need to be tracked by her?

 

“Maybe you should stop doing idiotic things,” Adrien mused, leaning over her to look at some of the papers piled neatly on the desk.

 

She pushed him away as he picked up an ancient looking piece of parchment.

 

“Why are you trying to find Fu _again_?” The blond frowned. Future Marinette snatched it out of his hands and put it back on the table. “You know he can’t help.”

 

“He can’t help _me_ ,” she agreed, “but it really is none of your business.”

 

“A little birdy told me a time portal had been opened a few nights ago,” Adrien replied, moving to push Marinette’s hair behind one ear. His fingers ghost over jet black circular earrings. “I have a feeling whatever your hiding is entirely my business.”

 

“You are _entirely_ wrong,” she uttered, sitting straighter as his hand wrapped lightly around her throat.

 

“You’re lying,” Adrien whispered, tightening his grip.

 

“Are you going to try and strangle the truth out of me?”

 

He smirked, placing his other hand around her too.

 

Chat tried to step forward to stop whatever was about to happen but the barrier held strong. Marinette gripped his arm consolingly, although it was more to comfort herself than him. The entire exchange between the two people in front of them was difficult to watch. Marinette could not see her Adrien’s usual traits at all. Just like her future self, this Adrien was darker and carried a hardness which did not suit him.

 

“I know you better than anyone Princess,” he chuckled, giving her a slight shake. “Strangling you would not get me results. Your stubbornness would prevail and I would stop before that cold heart of yours gave up. But think carefully about keeping this from me. I am all you have left.”

 

“I don’t need you,” future Marinette hissed, “maybe you should focus on your own shit and leave me alone.”

Her hands glowed dangerously but Adrien just laughed, giving her a final squeeze before letting go. “You are a fool.”

 

He moved away from her, glancing around the room in mild interest. “You would rather hole up in this awful place without a single friend?”

 

“You have fucked me over far too many times to be deemed a friend,” future Marinette frowned, standing straight and folding her arms.

 

“Let’s not cry over spilt milk,” Adrien smirked, walking over to the bookcase with interest and stopping directly in front of the barrier concealing the younger Marinette. “I’m quite sure you _fucked me over_ far more spectacularly then I ever have you.”

 

“You always were weak,” older Marinette replied, watching him place a hand out to touch the air in front of him.

 

Marinette held her breath as his hand came within centimetres of her nose. Her heart rate doubled as the remarkably beautiful man seemed to look directly at her. A mischievous glint made older Adrien’s eyes sparkle as he continued to prod at the space in front of him. A gleam of purple seemed to flicker wherever his hand moved. It was obvious that he knew something was being hidden within inches of his curious fingers. Marinette felt butterflies come to life in her stomach and quickly grabbed Chat’s hand. He squeezed soothingly. 

 

“If caring is a weakness,” Adrien mused, “then yes, I suppose I am.”

 

“I have nothing to share with you,” older Marinette said, strolling to the door and opening it. “So you may as well go.”

 

Adrien stopped moving his hand, grinned enchantingly at the space containing younger Marinette and disappeared as he came. The dark magic washed over the room and within a blink of an eye he was gone.

 

Her future self sighed and swiftly lifted the barrier. “You need to go back to your room. We’ll continue our conversation when I find out more information.”

 

“Woah, woah, woah,” Alya replied moving away from Marinette and Chat. “You can’t just dismiss us after that!”

 

“I need to find Master Fu quickly,” Older Marinette said, rubbing her forehead. “I can’t do that if I’m here talking to you.”

 

“But Adrien Agreste just strangled you!” Alya continued empathetically. “Can we just talk about what the hell happened to him?”

 

“Same thing that happened to me,” Marinette sighed, holding her hands up and glowing. “I have told you; times have changed and Paris is a different place.”

 

“But you adored him when we were at school,” Alya cried, holding her hands out imploringly. “You were obsessed with him.”

 

Marinette felt herself blush at Alya’s declaration and avoided looking at a fidgeting Chat. She knew the mask concealed her true self but embarrassment still flooded through her body and made her cheeks pink.

 

“A lot has happened since then,” her future self muttered, with a quick glance towards Chat and Marinette. “I really don’t want to get into six years of history. All you need to know is that sweet, kind little Adrien has long gone; as has your version of me. We are both a danger in this time. You saw for yourself; my Adrien Agreste is extremely dangerous.”

 

“W-will he be back?” Chat asked, scratching his neck nervously.

 

“He knew a barrier was up,” future Marinette replied softly, “he will definitely be back.”

 

“So you want us to hide in our room until you sort shit out?” Alya asked, hands on her hips.

 

“Exactly,” she nodded, giving each of the teens an appraising look. “I want to send you home as quickly as possible. I am also trying my hardest to keep you safe.”

 

“Adrien Agreste isn’t safe,” Chat sighed.

 

“I can handle him.”

 

“Have you fucked him?” Alya asked shrewdly.

 

“Alya!” Chat and Marinette both groaned.

 

Older Marinette rolled her eyes. “Really, I give a big speech about danger and doom, and that is what you want to discuss?”

 

“Girl, he looked ready to mount you on the desk!”

 

Marinette placed her head in her hands. Her best friend was going to be the end of her.

 

“I think he’d much prefer to kill me,” older Marinette shrugged, gesturing for the teens to follow her out of the office.

 

“So,” Alya prompted, “that is a yes then. You have fucked Adrien Agreste!”

 

“Jesus Christ Alya,” older Marinette sighed.

 

“Does this happen before or after I die?”

 

“Alya!”

 

“I just wanna know if I get to enjoy the details,” she grinned, “I have spent years being a very considerate wing-woman as you spluttered and stuttered all over the damn place. I just want to know my attempts to keep you chill actually worked.”

 

Marinette felt her face explode and purposely walked in front of an equally embarrassed Chat Noir. She was going to have firm words with her best friend when they got home and she was not suited up.

 

“You’re making Ladybug and Chat Noir blush Alya,’ future Marinette laughed as they made their way back to their room. “I don’t think either needs to hear about it.”

 

Alya gave them both a calculating glance. “They are ridiculously too innocent. I feel it is my mission to educate them whilst we’re here.”

 

“Please don’t,” Marinette groaned, as Chat muttered quietly under his breath.

 

Older Marinette chuckled, opening their door and letting each teen enter. “I’m sure your education will come in handy one day. As for today, rest up and try to not worry.”

 

They nodded as the door closed and sealed again. Marinette let out a shaky sigh and followed Chat to sit on the sofa. Her head felt too heavy and her body ached in pent up discomfort. Her Kitty didn’t seem to be fairing any better so she placed a gentle hand on his forearm. He smiled weakly at her.

 

“You know,” Alya mused, plopping down in a chair opposite them. “I never really got the whole _Adrien_ thing. Sure he’s handsome, but I always thought he was too twinkly and perfect to actually be real.”

 

“Just drop it Alya,” Marinette sighed, as Chat stiffened beside her.

 

“I’m just saying, I am totally on board for dark and mysterious Adrien. _That_ Adrien had sex written all over him.”

 

“Despite the fact he is obviously insane?” Chat frowned.

 

“He isn’t insane,” the bubbly girl laughed, “he’s hurting. Whatever went down between him and Marinette has clearly created a weird love/hate vibe.”

 

“Love/hate?” Chat asked, shaking his head. “I didn’t see any love.”

 

“I might be wrong,” Alya shrugged, “but that’s my gut instinct.”

 

“They both have the same powers,” Marinette noted, shifting uncomfortably.

 

“It’s all linked isn’t it!” Alya replied with way too much enthusiasm. “I wish she would tell us. I bet Adrien would.”

 

“Well, we are not going to talk to him,” Chat said forcefully.

 

Alya sighed, closing her eyes and leaning back in her chair. “They would have beautiful children.”

 

“Sorry?” Chat asked, confusion covering his handsome features.

 

“Marinette and Adrien,” Alya sighed, keeping her eyes closed. “Their kids would be perfect.”

 

“Stop going back to that,” Marinette muttered. Although she had to admit, the thought of her and Adrien’s beautiful children had run through Marinette’s mind more than once.

 

“I wouldn’t say no to either of them in their future bodies,” Alya grinned, opening her eyes and wiggling her eyebrows.

 

“I’m going to lock myself in the bathroom and scream,” Chat muttered, getting up and quickly leaving the room with a speed impossible for a normal human being.

 

Alya laughed impishly and called after him, “I still love you Chat Noir!”

 

“You are terrible,” Marinette grumbled.

 

“Grown up Adrien is hot though,” Alya continued, “don’t you think?”

 

Marinette nodded resolutely, “he is.”

 

Undeniably hot, unbelievably dangerous and entirely too desirable for Marinette to cope with. Whatever powers she receives in the future, clearly the ability to fuck him is high on that list.

 

She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

 

~O~


	4. Comfort and Chloe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chloe comes to visit and Adrien is up to no good...

Adrien was not fairing too well after the events of the previous day. In fact, it was probably fair to say he was on the verge of a break down.

 

He had spent an extensive amount of time in the bathroom, releasing Plagg to have a heart to heart with his grumpy Kwami. Was Adrien evil? Why was he so corrupt in just six short years? How could he no longer have the ability to transform into Chat Noir? Why was he so odd in his interactions with Marinette? What the hell did it all mean?

 

Plagg was his usual unhelpful self: _No, Adrien was not evil. How the hell did he know? Who knows what happened to his Miraculous but future Adrien still has the ring (Admittedly, it was now a constant jet black). Maybe Marinette had something to do with the loss of said Miraculous, but he couldn’t see the future so stop asking._

All in all, Plagg didn’t have a clue what was going on either. He demanded more cheese and gave Adrien a quick pat, but that was it. He had to deal with being an evil arsehole by himself. The selfish side of him wanted to leave the mask off, go out to join the girls and talk about everything afresh. Maybe they could discuss his fall to darkness without mentioning how fuckable he now was.

 

“Kid,” Plagg sighed, from his perch in Adrien’s hair. “Get off the toilet floor, forget about what you’ve seen and get some rest. You aren’t evil and locking yourself in a bathroom won’t help you.”

 

“I like sitting on the toilet floor,” Adrien muttered, putting his arms around his head and resting against his raised knees. “I can’t do anything bad here.”

 

Plagg pulled on his blond locks, “You are being ridiculous!”

 

“You saw him!” Adrien cried, “He wasn’t anything like me.”

 

“Exactly,” Plagg sighed, “he was _nothing_ like you. I have had many Chat Noirs over the thousands of years I have been the god of bad luck. In the early days, I picked humans with traits similar to me. Funny thing is it never worked. I’m the darkness to Tikki’s light. Picking someone like me is disastrous.”

 

“What are you saying?”

 

“I’m saying,” Plagg smiled, zooming in front of his face, “Tikki and I decided that her Ladybugs needed to be a little shadier and my Kittens needed to be a little kinder. You, Adrien Agreste, are the sweetest one I’ve ever had. Yes, you have a darker side but your ability to love far outweighs that.”

 

“My ability to love?” Adrien frowned.

 

“You have the most honest, open heart I have ever known.”

“But I still become a terrible man,” he muttered, as Plagg gave him a small nuzzle.

 

“Something truly terrible has happened here,” Plagg replied. “The power residing inside the older you is corrupting and intoxicating. I don’t think you are entirely in control in this time.”

 

“Like an akuma?” Adrien asked hopefully.

 

“A little bit like that, yes.”

 

“So I could be cured?”

 

Plagg nodded, “I imagine if the magic coursing through the older you and Marinette was extracted, you would both be completely different here.”

 

“Maybe Ladybug was summoned to fix it?” Adrien wondered aloud. “It would make sense if someone wanted to help them and had an understanding of Ladybug’s cleansing abilities.”

 

“Maybe,” Plagg agreed, “but you’re never going to find out hiding in this bathroom.”

 

Adrien glanced around the polished white room and sighed in defeat. Of course he couldn’t stay in here. He knew Ladybug was extremely worried about him and he had already spent a stupid amount of time moping in the bathroom. It was time to sort himself out and face the situation head on. Someone had called for his Lady and he was supposed to be there to protect her.

 

“You’re right,” Adrien replied sitting up and giving Plagg a scratch on the belly. ‘I need to keep Ladybug safe. I can’t do that in here.”

 

“Let me have another slice of cheese and then I’ll be ready.”

 

Rummaging around his pocket, Adrien pulled out the stinky food and gave it to his little Kwami. He might be a bit cantankerous and somewhat difficult, but Adrien wouldn’t change him for anything in the world. Plagg was vital to Adrien’s happiness. Imagining his older self without Plagg made Adrien’s heart ache.

 

“I’m going to do everything I can to keep you safe too,” he whispered, scooping Plagg into his hands carefully.

 

“I know you will,” Plagg said curtly, “I just hope I can do the same for you.”

 

“Claws out!”

 

Green eyes met green eyes as the transformation began to take hold, and Chat Noir took the place of Adrien Agreste. He could feel confidence wash over him and gave a steadying breath.

 

“Noir, get your arse out of the bathroom!” Alya cried, banging on the door and making him jump up.

 

“I saw the flash of green,” she continued, “I know you’re safe to come out and I need a piss.”

 

He opened the door and gazed down at the jigging brunette.

 

“You have been in there for ages, what the hell were you doing?”

 

“I was giving Plagg a rest,” Adrien lied, “I’m sorry.”

 

“Yeah, yeah,” Alya sighed, nudging him out. “I’m gonna _live_ in here for the next hour so don’t bother me. I want a nice hot bath once I’ve relieved myself.”

 

She slammed the door and said no more.

 

Adrien sighed.

 

“She woke up grumpy,” Ladybug muttered from her spot on the bed. She was curled up in a foetal position; looking ridiculously small. “I think she had a nightmare last night. She called for Marinette more than once.”

 

“It must be odd,” Adrien replied, making his way over to her and sitting on the edge of the huge bed, “to see that your friend is so unrecognisable.”

 

Ladybug nodded but didn’t turn to face him. “She is prettier.”

 

“Marinette has always been pretty,” Adrien muttered truthfully, “but I don’t think her prettiness would give Alya nightmares.”

 

Ladybug chuckled weakly, “No, perhaps not.”

 

“I don’t think you should ever meet Marinette on your own,” he said, sitting a little closer to his Lady.

 

She laughed again, “Chaton, I can handle Marinette. Don’t worry about me.”

 

“I want you to promise, my Lady.”

 

Ladybug turned to face him, looking just as little, and eyed him carefully. Perhaps she noticed his serious expression, or perhaps she saw the tired look in his eyes. Whatever she could see, it made her sigh and place a hand on his cheek. “Chat, if it eases your reservations, I won’t do anything with her on my own.”

 

“Thank you,” he mumbled, closing his eyes against her warm touch.

 

“You didn’t sleep well either,’ she noted, rubbing along his mask.

 

“Did any of us?”

 

“I guess not,” Ladybug agreed, taking her hand and placing it on Adrien’s arm. She looped it around her waist and turned her back to him again. He held his breath as he let himself be pulled into the cuddle.

 

“Relax Kitty,” Ladybug whispered, “stop over-thinking and shut your eyes.”

 

Adrien did as he was told, letting his chest rest against her back. Ladybug wiggled against him, getting herself comfy, before sighing and lacing her hand with his. Adrien had cuddled her many times, but this felt unique. They were both seeking something new. Adrien just wasn’t sure exactly what it was.

 

Within minutes, Adrien felt his bones turn to mush as his body slowly released all its built up tension. Laying with Ladybug in his arms made him feel invincible. Listening to her slow and steady breathing gave him strength.

 

For the second time in four days, Ladybug and Chat Noir fell asleep together.

 

Adrien’s last thought was how utterly perfect for him she was.

 

 

~O~

 

 

The Agreste dinning room was an outrageously lavish affair. Everything had been polished within an inch of its life and the furniture screamed expensive taste. Art work hung from the walls with undoubtedly extortionate price tags and the chandelier sparkled opulently in the centre of the room. As with everywhere in the manor, the room was rigid and untouchable. Alya had never had breakfast in such an odd environment.

 

It had been five days since future Adrien’s visit and the revelation that Marinette had serious history (or a future depending on how you looked at it) with the beautiful model. Alya had been plagued with strange nightmares of dying in the most gruesome of ways since the meeting and she knew Chat Noir wasn’t fairing much better. It was becoming a common occurrence for Ladybug to be found snuggled against each of them at different points in the night. It seemed like the masked marvel couldn’t decide who needed her more, and instead opted to divide her night between the pair of them.

 

With a thoughtful glance across the dining table, Alya gave Ladybug a quick inspection and was not surprised to see she looked tired. The bluenette had her chin rested on a delicate hand, whilst the other twirled a fork around her plate with little energy.

 

“Aren’t you hungry?” Alya asked, before she could stop herself.

 

Ladybug glanced up and smiled weakly, “not really.”

 

“You should try to eat something,” Marinette commented from the head of the long table. “You’ll need your strength if you expect to get yourself home.”

 

“How’s your research going?” Chat asked before Ladybug could reply. “Have you found Master Fu yet? I’m guessing, you asked us to have breakfast with you so that you could give us information?”

 

“Fu is keeping himself completely hidden from me,” she sighed. “The sneaky bastard won’t resurface whilst I show interest in his whereabouts. He is definitely using Volpina to spy on me.”

 

“How do you know that?” Ladybug asked, putting her folk down and pushing her untouched plate of food away.

 

“Everywhere I go,” the future Marinette laughed, “I find the fox stalking me. She never was particularly good at it. Chat always teased her about her inability to sneak around.”

 

“So Fu’s a no go?” Ladybug continued, with a quick glance to her partner.

 

“At the moment,” Marinette agreed, pouring herself more orange juice. “I am keeping my people on any information regarding him. I _have_ managed to locate where the portal was opened and found some scrolls about time travel. I’ve got a few ideas as to who summoned you and I really do think they will make a play for you soon.”

 

“So we’re just gonna sit around waiting for someone to take Ladybug?” Alya asked with a frown. “That doesn’t sound particularly smart.”

 

“Which is why I have kept you as close as possible to me,” Marinette replied, sweeping her hand around the room. “I will do whatever I can to keep you safe.”

 

“I would prefer it if we could be a bit more proactive,” Chat admitted, as Nathalie entered the room. “Sitting around is driving us all mad.”

 

“Unfortunately Kitty,” Marinette smiled, “this is all we can do for now.”

 

“Miss Bourgeois is here to see you,” Nathalie said, passing a folder full of documents to the older Marinette and handing her a pen.

 

“What is she asking for this time?” Marinette sighed, quickly flicking through the papers and signing each one with practised ease.

 

“Your help with a theft.”

 

Marinette sighed again before nodding to her assistant. “Send her in.”

 

Nathalie exited the room, whilst Marinette continued to sign her name.

“Bourgeois as in Chloe Bourgeois?” Alya asked with a raised eyebrow.

 

“Got it in one,” Marinette smiled grimly, looking up as the door flew open.

 

“You need to do something about Adrien,” an older looking Chloe snapped. She entered the room in a whirlwind of yellow and stomped across to the empty chair closest to Marinette.

 

Alya couldn’t stop the smirk rise to her face. Where Marinette and Adrien had changed and aged into absolute beauties, Chloe hadn’t changed a bit. She still wore her hair in a ponytail and walked with an air of arrogance. She still wore preposterous amounts of make up and her penchant for yellows had not dulled as she grew into womanhood. The only difference was the little blond boy attached to her hip.

 

“Why do _I_ need to do anything,” Marinette replied, taking hold of the small child with a loving smile.

 

“He listens to you,” Chloe huffed, completely ignoring the three teens sat watching the conversation. “He’s definitely ignoring my calls.”

 

“What has he done this time?” Marinette asked, settling the boy into her lap and running her fingers through his hair. The boy giggled and let his brown eyes gaze up happily.

 

“Stolen a very precious artefact from a museum in Reims,” Chloe sighed, pouring herself a drink. “Their mayor is furious and demanding I hand him over to the authorities.”

 

“He was suited up?”

 

“Suited and not subtle about robbing them at all,” the blonde replied, helping herself to a croissant. “You know I have cities breathing down my neck for him _and you_. I thought we’d done enough damage control to avoid this sort of thing. What was he thinking?”

 

“What sort of artefact are we talking about?” Marinette said, with a slight frown. “Adrien’s been fine for months, I can’t imagine anything being important enough for him to suit up for.”

 

“Some sort of ancient dagger,” Chloe replied, glancing down the table for the first time. “Why do you have a Ladybug, Chat Noir and dead girl in your dinning room?”

 

“Time travel,” Marinette shrugged, handing the little boy a slice of banana and kissing his crown. He cooed, accepting the food with another cute smile. “Which country did the dagger originate from?”

 

“I don’t know,” Chloe muttered, diverting her attention completely from the older Marinette and instead focusing on the teens. “How old are you all?”

 

“Seventeen,” Alya replied, eyeing the woman with barely contained dislike. Ladybug and Chat murmured their agreement.

 

“ _Seventeen_!” Chloe cackled, looking between the two heroes. “So before any identity reveals and fucked up relationships.”

 

“Chloe!” Marinette hissed, covering the boy’s ears. “Don’t swear in front of Freddie.”

 

“He doesn’t understand what I’m saying,” the blonde laughed, moving towards him and rubbing his chubby cheeks. “Do you? Mon Cochon!”

 

“He’s not a pig!”

 

Freddie continued to giggle, as he shoved more banana into his pink mouth.

 

“Is he yours?” Ladybug asked with interest.

 

“He is indeed,” Chloe smiled, looking fondly at the boy. It was a look that Alya had rarely seen on the blonde brat’s face.

 

‘Wow,” Chat grinned, “You’re an actual mother.”

 

“Of course I am,” Chloe huffed, giving Chat a classic eye roll.

 

“Who’s the father?” Alya asked, trying to identify any defining qualities on the boy’s face. He was a cutie but really, Alya could only see Chloe. Freddie’s brown eyes were the only real difference from his mummy.

 

“An evil arsehole,” Chloe muttered, never taking her eyes off her baby. “Thankfully he will never have anything to do with us.”

 

“Back to the dagger,” Marinette interrupted, hugging Freddie closer. “I need to know the country.”

 

Chloe shrugged, pulling out her phone and clicking quickly on the screen. She sent the device across the highly shined table.

 

Marinette picked it up with interest, before cursing under her breath. “That absolute bastard!”

 

“So it’s okay for you to use disgusting language in front of my son?” Chloe smirked, taking the phone back. She clicked off the picture and looked expectantly at the woman holding her child. “You know of it?”

 

“It’s a ceremonial dagger,” Marinette muttered, rubbing between her eyes. “Chinese origin and definitely something magical.”

 

“What does Adrien want with it?” Chat asked.

 

Marinette didn’t reply. She glanced at Ladybug and pulled her own phone out of her jacket pocket.

 

“Tell him to give it back,” Chloe prompted, watching Marinette furiously dial. “I can’t be dealing with more lawyers.”

 

The phone only rang for a few seconds before someone picked up.

 

“Don’t _Hi Princess_ me,” Marinette snapped, handing Freddie back to his mother and standing to move away from them. “Why are you stealing ceremonial daggers in your fucking suit?”

 

“Yes Chloe told me. She has too much shit to deal with without you causing problems. She’s the _mayor_ Adrien. Give the thing back. Why not? What do you need it for?”

 

“I knew he was ignoring my calls,” Chloe muttered darkly.

 

“Bullshit!” Marinette hissed. “You are plotting something.”

 

A laugh could be heard through the phone speaker.

 

“Give the dagger back Adrien!” Chloe shouted across the table.

 

The line went dead and Marinette threw the device onto the table. “He is unbelievable.”

 

“Adrien has more money than anyone in France,” Chloe scoffed, “why is he stealing pointless crap?”

 

“Because he wanted to be seen,” Marinette muttered, looking over at Chat Noir. “He is better than anyone I know at stealth. It’s a game.”

 

“Your last game destroyed half of Paris,” Chloe noted, also gazing at Chat. “Maybe you should intervene before things get out of hand.”

 

“Good advice,” Marinette said with a grim smile at the woman. “I’ll go and see him later.”

 

Chloe nodded, standing up and shifting Freddie to her right hip. “Good luck. Let me know if you need anything.”

 

Marinette walked towards the two blondes and gave the little boy a kiss on both cheeks. “Look after your crazy mummy.”

 

Freddie twittered, “Mari, Mari, Mari!”

 

“Can you babysit him on Wednesday evening?” Chloe asked, striding across the room.

 

“I don’t think it’s safe for Freddie to be here at the moment,” Marinette admitted, gesturing to the teens. “What with the time travellers _and_ Adrien playing up.”

 

Chloe shook her head, “Marinette, he is safer with you than anyone else on this planet.”

 

“You’re just biased because you’ve seen what I can do when I’m in a good mood.”

 

“Exactly,” Chloe laughed, opening the door. “You powerful freak.”

 

“Bad moods make me uncontrollable though,” Marinette admitted. “Ask your father to look after Freddie. You know he misses you now that he’s not living in the city.”

 

“Not my fault he’s a coward,” Chloe shrugged, but she relented in her request and blew an air kiss. “Have fun looking after baby Bug, baby Chat and baby dead girl.”

 

Marinette gave her a quick push and shut the door again. “Sorry about that.”

 

“You are friends with her,” Alya stated with a grimace. “Marinette, what the actual fuck?”

 

The older Marinette laughed and sat back down. “She’s not that bad.”

 

“She seems happier,” Chat agreed, as a tall maid came into the room and began clearing the table.

 

“Freddie makes her happy,” Marinette replied, going back to signing documents. ‘She’s been forced to actually grow up.”

 

‘Was Freddie’s father really an arsehole?” Ladybug asked quietly.

 

‘The worst possible man you can think of,” The bluenette muttered. “Freddie was not created with love.”

 

“God,” Alya breathed, “That’s horrible.”

 

“He’s dead now,” Marinette admitted, a dark look flitting across her pretty face.

 

Alya shifted uncomfortably. The maid made quick work of the breakfast plates and leftover food. It didn’t take long for her to leave and the room fell into a tense silence.

 

“What are you going to do about Adrien?” Ladybug whispered after a few uncomfortable minutes.

 

“Kick his arse,” Marinette snorted, “and take the bloody dagger back to where it belongs.”

 

Alya didn’t doubt for a second that the attractive woman would be able to kick Adrien’s arse, but something told her he would give as good as he got. The dagger was clearly important or Adrien wouldn’t have stolen it in the first place. It just seemed so odd to think of sweet Marinette and charming Adrien _fighting_ over anything.

 

Yet, with a quick look at the older woman, Alya could sense a fight taking shape. It was both thrilling and utterly terrifying.

 

 

~O~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know Chloe is a real brat in the show but I loved the idea of her becoming a Mother and relishing it. Finally she gets actual love from someone who actually wants her around. I also couldn't resist putting her and Marinette into a weird friendship where each uses the other to get what they want/need.


	5. Kitty Chat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are revealed and more questions are created.

The drawing room double doors flew open as an irate Marinette waltzed through, making her younger self pause in her mission to plait Alya’s hair.

 

“What are you all doing down here?” The woman hissed, glancing behind her quickly. “I thought I told you to stay in your room.”

 

“You did,” Alya replied, with her eyes closed and a blissful look across her face. “But your magical voodoo shit vanished from the door so we thought it would be okay to chill down here.”

 

“Well, it’s not!” Future Marinette snapped. “Get your arses back upstairs now!”

 

“What’s got you all stressed?” Chat asked from his seat at the window. “Is the party over?”

 

“I don’t have time to explain,” she fumed, moving to pull the younger Marinette and Alya up. “Go upstairs and stay hidden.”

 

Marinette eyed her apprehensively. Her older self was biting her lip and glancing behind her every few seconds. Her stunning floor length gown swirled around her majestically, but her face was pale and her eyes were darting about the room in a panic.

 

“You said the party was just a small get together with a few officials from Paris,” Chat queried, standing up. “Why can’t we stay hidden down here?”

 

“Some unexpected guests have arrived,” future Marinette muttered, ushering them all towards one corner. “If they saw you, they would certainly take you.”

 

“What kind of unexpected guests?” Alya asked, tying a hairband at the end of her perfectly formed plait. “Is it Adrien again?”

 

Adrien Agreste had visited twice since future Marinette’s telephone conversation about the dagger. She hadn’t needed to go to him because he had shown up that evening, with a barely contained smirk and a bottle of wine. The bluenette had promptly taken the bottle and given him an ear lashing. The teens had heard it all from their bedroom. The second visit had been even less civil. Marinette had hidden them with her barrier magic and they had been forced to sit through a forty-five minute argument over where the dagger was and what was being kept at the mansion. Adrien was no fool. He was clearly aware of their presence in the house.

 

“Why throw dinner parties when you know we are being hidden here?” Marinette huffed, not liking how the older woman continued to boss them around. “Isn’t that _asking_ for trouble?”

 

The woman frowned, “I don’t have a choice. I’m in charge of many people in this city and I can’t just sack them off for you _Ladybug_.”

 

“What do you do again?” Marinette replied, placing her hands on her hips. “Other than sponge off of the Agreste mansion of course.”

 

Her future self laughed bitterly. “One day you’ll know Bug and then you won’t be quite so high and mighty. I have worked very hard to maintain some semblance of order in this hell hole, and I’m not going to let a visit from you ruin that.”

 

Shouting suddenly floated through the open doors. Marinette cursed and sent her infamous barrier towards the teenagers. In the seconds it took for her to raise her hands, a flurry of people entered the room. A huge man fired what looked like a pistol at Marinette’s turned back. A dart entered at her shoulder, causing Marinette to spin round and double over in pain.

 

“Don’t fight it,” a familiar figure whispered in a tuneful Italian accent. “Let it soothe those over-worked muscles.”

 

“Volpina,” older Marinette hissed. “What the fuck are you doing?”

 

“Master Fu wants you to come in,” a curly haired woman replied, holding two batons in a defensive pose. “It’s time to give up.”

 

“I don’t give up,” Marinette said through gritted teeth. She backed away from the group, knocking over the coffee table as she went. “Besides, I’ve been trying to find Fu for a while. Why does he want me now, of all times? He hasn’t bothered with me for years.”

 

“You can ask him when you see him,” the massive man with the dart gun laughed. “I’m sure he can’t wait to have a _chat_ with you.”

 

The younger Marinette watched the scene unfold with a sense of foreboding. She glanced at her two companions who both shrugged in confusion. They couldn’t do anything to help, stuck behind their invisible wall. Besides, Marinette was unsure who she would actually want to help.

 

“I don’t want to hurt you,” Volpina warned. “But if you refuse to come with us, I will have no choice.”

 

The older Marinette snorted, continuing to back herself into an area with space to move. She pushed a sofa out of her way and crouched into a strikingly recognisable pose. Younger Marinette squirmed as Alya and Chat both gasped.

 

“You have never been strong enough to fight me Fox,” the bluenette growled, “even before the battle with Hawkmoth.”

 

“In a few minutes the drugs will kick in and you’ll be too drowsy to do anything, my Coccinella.”

 

“What?” Chat uttered, beside the teen. “Coccinella?”

 

Marinette closed her eyes, as her older self sparked from the hands. He knew the Italian name for Ladybug, just as she did.

 

A huge explosion rattled around the room as darkness and mauve leaked from Marinette’s fingers. Her magical bomb blew the windows and sent four of the unwanted visitors to the floor immediately. Younger Marinette opened her eyes to see the second explosion rip through the room. Her future self stayed in her crouching position and had begun to shake. Her dress billowed around her and its vast slit revealing toned legs.

 

“Please,” she whispered, to a hunched over Volpina. “I can’t control it when I’m made to use it like this.”

 

“Master Fu can help,” the fox replied soothingly, as the remaining members of her team inched forward.

 

Marinette laughed, “No he can’t. The only way to stop all this is to kill me and to kill Chat. I won’t let that happen. I won’t let you take me to my death.”

 

“It’s for the greater good,” the curly haired woman snapped. “You are both a parasite on this City, and you have become selfish and uncontainable.”

 

“So, you plan on murdering me?”

 

“It’s not murder,” Volpina continued, holding her hands out pacifyingly. “It is a sacrifice which will stop this madness. Master Fu can rid you of the evil pumping through your veins. He can make you better.”

 

“You sound absolutely insane,” Chat Noir interrupted, leaning against the blown out door frame and surveying the scene with morbid curiosity.

 

He was taller than his younger counterpart, fuller looking and powerful. Marinette could see subtle differences to his outfit too (namely two large swords strapped to his back). He was Chat Noir and yet not Chat Noir. Alya buzzed with excitement next to her.

 

“Get out of here Noir,” Curly woman barked, bringing her batons up higher and spinning to face him. “Fu told you to stay out of this.”

 

“Give them what they want Marinette,” he smirked, ignoring the woman and pushing off the door frame. “Give them their _hero_ back.”

 

The bluenette shook her head and shut her eyes, fighting her body’s reaction to the drugs pumping around her body. Volpina continued to creep towards her, whilst the other members of the room focused on the newcomer.

 

“If you won’t,” Chat continued, opening his hand and allowing a pure white butterfly to dance across his palms. “I will.”

 

The glowing creature pulsed and fluttered as the now recognisable black and purple magic overtook the poor thing. Younger Marinette watched, feeling her belly flip in disgust. Beside her, younger Chat slammed his hands on the barrier in horror.

 

Together, the room watched as the butterfly took flight and headed straight for the older Marinette. She shut her eyes as the infected thing touched upon an earring and pink flittered across her face. The darkness consumed her instantly.

 

As the orbs of magic receded, Ladybug was left in Marinette’s place.

 

“No!” Alya gasped, facing the younger girl, as tears formed in her eyes. “No!”

 

“It’s been you all along,” Chat whispered, looking from the older to the younger with a look of confusion. “It’s you.”

 

Marinette opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out. She looked at her heartbroken best friends and felt her hands shake in fear. This was not how her unmasking happened. This couldn’t be they way that her identity was revealed. It was wrong on so many levels. She tried to speak but no words seemed to form. Marinette felt nothing but numbness.

 

Her older version stood up slowly and cracked her neck muscles jarringly. She gave a fleeting look to where the teens were hidden, before pulling out her yoyo and beginning an attack.

 

Chaos irrupted around the room. Volpina’s team tried to make a grab for Ladybug but she was too quick. Within seconds, she had taken out two of the larger men and was circling a third. Chat Noir joined the fray, pulling two long swords from behind his back. He swung them expertly in his hands, delivering killer blows to the curly haired woman and a Chinese man without so much as a blink.

 

Ladybug ran up the side of the wall and span, knocking down another team member. She lifted her red clad hand and watched in sick fascination as black orbs shot out to choke the life out of her pray. She didn’t wait to jump back up and sent another explosion towards the fox. The room rattled at the sheer power of it. Furniture splintered, walls crumbled and dust clouded the air.

 

The younger Ladybug fell to her knees as waves of sickness washed over her. This wasn’t happening. None of it could possibly be real.

 

As the dust cleared, the only two figures left standing were Ladybug and Chat Noir. Bodies and debris littered the floor as far as the eye could see.

 

“Volpina escaped,” Ladybug sighed, as an expensive light fitting fell to the floor inches from Chat.

 

He raised an eyebrow at it, before deftly twirling his swords and putting them behind him again. The imposing man lifted his free hands and clenched a fist towards Ladybug. She grimaced as the butterfly was pulled from her earring. Blinding pink light revealed Marinette again. She placed her hands on her knees and took a deep breath.

 

“You shouldn’t have done that,” the woman whispered, glancing towards the hidden teenagers again. “You’ve made everything worse.”

 

Chat Noir laughed, “it can’t get worse than this.”

 

Future Marinette huffed, placing a shaky hand over her eyes. The effects of the drug visibly taking hold now that the butterfly had left her system. “They want to destroy us. I think that warrants a little concern.”

 

“They’ve wanted to get rid of us for years,” Chat shrugged, standing before her and folding his impressive arms. “I’m not worried.”

 

“Of course you aren’t,” Marinette sighed, lifting her right hand and sending a wave of lilac light around the room. The magic felt similar to Ladybug’s healing light and seemed to have the same effect. The room quickly righted itself, but instead of actually _healing_ the people on the ground, they just disappeared in a flash of black orbs.

 

Chat guided the bluenette to the righted sofa and set her down. “I think Volpina will give up for now. She’s not stupid and neither is Fu. They can’t overpower us yet.”

 

“Yet?” She muttered, closing her eyes and leaning against the pillow closest to her.

 

“We need to be weakened first,” Chat smiled down at her, gently pushing Marinette’s fringe away from her eyes.

 

“You should go,” the woman yawned. “I have a dinner party to get back to.”

 

“No you don’t,” he grinned, “I sent all your corrupt little friends away when I got here.”

 

Marinette hummed as her entire body went completely limp.

 

Chat watched her for a second, then lifted her closed eyelid up. “Completely out.”

 

He let go and got swiftly to his feet, making his way over to the corner where the teens were hidden. The adult Chat Noir came to a stop directly in front of the younger Marinette. She was still on her knees and had developed a shake; which rattled through her small frame.

 

“Come out, come out,” Chat sang, placing a hand along the invisible barrier, “I know you’re behind here baby Bug. We have some work to do.”

 

Marinette gazed up at him in trepidation. Just as the woman on the couch was not her, this man was not Chat Noir. He had the appearance of the superhero, but he lacked any of the friendliness and love of her Chat. He was far too dangerous for her to even think of interacting with him. Her actual Chat Noir seemed to have the same idea because he gently pulled at Marinette’s arm, urging her to stand. She pulled her eyes away from the older Chat to look at the younger. He was extremely pale and his eyes begged her to do as he asked.

 

Without a second thought, Marinette got unsteadily to her feet. She allowed her Chat to place her behind him. He pulled his baton from behind his back and stood defensively in front of the older man. The teenager was using himself as a shield. Marinette’s heart beat furiously and she unthinking leaned into the warmth of his back. Alya watched the exchange but didn’t say a word.

 

The older Chat tapped at the barrier and grinned as it flashed. “I’m sure you have lots of questions. I’ve been trying to get to you since you arrived. Your older self has made things a bit trickier than I had thought. _I_ was supposed to find you first, but Marinette somehow sensed your arrival before I could.”

 

The teens stood in silence, watching him tensely and unsure what to do.

 

“ _I_ summoned you here,” Chat continued, clawing at the unseen wall. “You landed miles away from where I intended. You were never meant to meet her.”

 

He opened his mouth to say more but choked on his words. Chat’s eyes widened in shock and he fell to his knees. Standing behind him, with her hand against his back, was future Marinette. Her black and purple orbs clung to his body. Whatever she was doing, it was extremely painful.

 

“I knew you had a hand in all this,” her older self seethed. “This had you written all over it. What the fuck are you doing?”

 

“Saving both our arses,” the man groaned, squeezing his eyes shut. “She can stop all this.”

 

“ _No-one_ can stop this,” Marinette cried, her eyes flashing angrily. “You stupid bastard. Why do you insist on making insane decisions?”

 

“Why do you insist on denying we are doomed?” He shot back, opening his eyes and moving to push her off. “I don’t want to live like this.”

 

“Then go to Fu and let him _sacrifice_ you,” Marinette hissed, dropping her hand and taking a step away. “Let the old man destroy you!”

 

“I want my life back,” Chat continued, rubbing his chest. “I need to try, at least.”

 

“How did you even get my past self here?”

 

Chat shifted, glancing away from the impressive woman in front of him.

 

“You’ve already been to see Fu,” she stated, gazing up at him with watering eyes. “You used one of his fucking spells. Did you send Volpina after me too?”

 

“She wasn’t supposed to hurt you,” he admitted with a shrug. “I just needed you out of the way to get to Ladybug.”

 

“Oh,” she laughed darkly, “that’s okay then. You only needed me _out of the way_!”

 

“I didn’t realise she would bring her army.”

 

“Get out!” Marinette growled, lifting her hands and sparking. “Get out and don’t come back, _my loving partner_.”

 

Chat Noir did not move. He stood watching her with a quiet determination. The bluenette before him clenched and unclenched, before making her decision and nodding once at him.

 

A second passed between them, before Marinette sent her ball of destruction at him. Chat disappeared before the magic had a chance to touch him. Instead, the rainbow of black and purple hit the invisible barrier with a force so strong it sent the teenagers tumbling to the ground. The barrier cackled and shattered.

 

Alya was first to her feet. “Fucking _Ladybug_!”

 

“Don’t,” the older woman warned, placing a shaking hand over her eyes and spinning on her foot. She began to move towards the door.

 

The younger Chat got to his feet, holding out a hand to help his Lady up. Marinette took it without looking at him.

 

“How long were you planning on keeping it from me?” Alya asked, hurt lacing her voice. She looked between Marinette and the smaller Ladybug. “How long were you going to lie to me?”

 

The older Marinette continued to walk out of the room. The younger placed her arms around herself. The sickness in her stomach hadn’t subsided.

 

“We need to go home,” Chat muttered, walking towards Alya and placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. “This isn’t a conversation we should be having here. We need to get out of here.”

 

The woman spun around, opening her mouth to say something but stopped as she looked over to her younger self. Alya and Chat both turned, as a strong arm wrapped around Marinette and a hand came to rest on her throat. She froze in horror.

 

“I didn’t want to do this,” the older Chat breathed against her cheek. “If you come looking for us I will kill the little Lady without hesitation.”

 

Marinette watched as the younger Chat took a step forward. The man behind her chuckled. His warm breath caressed her face.

 

“Don’t believe me?” He grinned, tightening his hold around Marinette’s throat and causing her to gasp in pain. “Take another step.”

 

“You are a fool,” older Marinette sighed, folding her arms. “What do you plan to do with her?”

 

“I’m going to have some fun,” Chat continued to smile, placing a light kiss on Marinette’s cheek. “Something you haven’t been capable of for a long time.”

 

Marinette watched helplessly as those cursed black orbs swirled around them, and her two favourite people in the world ran towards her. It was too late though. Within a blink of an eye, she had left them behind. She struggled against the man behind her, as their feet touched the ground. He let her go without a fuss.

 

“Easy Bugaboo,” he laughed, as she spun around to face him.

 

“Take me back,” Marinette said, gazing up at him with as much confidence as she could muster.

 

‘I’m sorry Little Lady,” Chat grinned, walking towards her and forcing her backwards. Her knees hit the back of a chair and she fell into it with a small yelp.

 

“You are going to help me,” he continued, kneeling in front of her. “Whether you like it or not, I need Ladybug. My Ladybug no longer exists.”

 

“I can’t help either of you,” Marinette muttered, watching as Chat formed robe in his outstretched hand. “I don’t have the power to compete against the pair of you.”

 

“It’s not about competing,” Chat smiled, quickly sending the robe to magically bind Marinette to the chair. She didn’t get a chance to react as the robe covered her wrists and ankles. “It’s about saving. If anyone can save me, it’s you Baby Bug.”

 

He stood with a soft smile still covering his face. Marinette watched in fear as the beautiful man swept her fringe from her eyes; just as he had done to her future self less than an hour ago.

 

“I’ve missed you.”

 

He left her tied against a hard chair, in a relatively empty living room, and with an ache in her heart. She couldn’t stop the tears from rolling down her cheeks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Future Chat's costume is a cross between his usual Noir outfit and something similar to Deadpool's. He is still clinging to his superhero past but has upped the ammo he carries around. Marinette could only wear the spots because of Chat's butterfly.


	6. Fight or Flight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The teens finally get some answers.

They stood frozen as the orbs cleared. Adrien felt panic rise to his throat and choke him, as the scene before him unravelled.

 

“ _Fuck!_ ” Marinette hissed, spinning and marching from the room with renewed purpose. “Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!”

 

“Where are you going?” Alya cried, jogging to follow her. “You can’t just walk away from all this. We need to go after them!”

 

Adrien continued to stay rooted on the spot. He was having trouble catching his breath and his chest was beginning to hurt.

 

“We don’t know where he has taken her,” Marinette continued, sounding further away. “Let’s find that out first.”

 

“And how do you propose on doing that _Ladybug_?”

 

_Ladybug._

 

_Marinette was Ladybug_.

 

_Ladybug was Marinette_.

 

His wonderful Ladybug was his wonderful friend; _Marinette_.

 

The world seemed to go back into focus, causing Adrien to gasp as oxygen filled his lungs again. Ladybug and Marinette were the same person. His two favourite girls were actually one girl. One amazing girl, who just so happened to have been kidnapped by his future self.

 

Adrien gave himself a shake and took off after Alya and future Marinette.

 

“Look, getting shitty with me isn’t going to help the situation,” Marinette sighed, rushing up the marble stairs with Alya at her heels. “I couldn’t tell you I was Ladybug because it was unsafe. I spent years wrestling with the decision to keep it a secret from everyone I loved. You should never have found out.”

 

Adrien took the stairs two at a time to catch up with the pair.

 

“You could have trusted me,” Alya huffed, “I wouldn’t have told a soul.”

 

Marinette shook her head. “You had the Ladyblog. I couldn’t risk it.”

 

They came to the room which once housed Adrien’s father’s huge collection of photographs and advertising campaigns. As they entered, Adrien could see that it had been stripped of every single one. Huge claw marks covered the walls and gave a sense of foreboding.

 

“What happened in here?” Alya asked, as Marinette headed for the wall which once held a huge montage of Adrien’s modelling campaigns.

 

“Chat destroyed everything,” Marinette replied, glancing over at Adrien before pulling at a concealed handle on the wall. A secret door popped open and he felt his jaw hang low. He’d been in this room a thousand times, yet he had never known the door was there.

 

“Gabriel Agreste had a number of secrets,” Marinette continued, ushering the teenagers to follow her.

 

A small room containing an impressive round table greeted them on the other side. Hundreds of screens filled the walls and quickly came to life when Marinette ran a hand over the centre of the table.

 

“Has this always been here?” Adrien asked, feeling strangely violated by the images appearing around him.

 

Marinette nodded, “I updated it when I moved in so that it would respond to my magic, but Agreste had been using it for years to keep tabs on people.”

 

“Why?” Adrien said with a frown.

 

“He was trying to find his wife,” Marinette replied softly, waving her glowing fingers across images which flickered blinkingly.

 

“Did he succeed?” Alya asked curiously, watching image after image appear before them.

 

“To a certain extent,” the bluenette sighed, “but not in the way he had hoped.”

 

“What happened to them?” Adrien muttered, feeling his heart skip a beat at the thought of his parents being reunited.

 

“They died,” Marinette said sadly, “just like everyone else. They all die.”

 

“Jesus Christ,” Alya breathed, “we need to go home.”

 

“Couldn’t agree more,” Marinette muttered, opening a small cupboard beside the doorway and producing a jar containing six white butterflies.

 

“Why do you have those,” Adrien frowned. He watched as the woman opened the lid and let the delicate creatures fly above their heads. She didn’t respond. Instead Marinette lifted her hands and slowly corrupted the creatures with her oozing black magic. With a flick of her hands, she sent the butterflies out of the room.

 

“What the fuck was that?” Alya asked, stepping away from the screens and watching in horror as a pink mask covered Marinette’s face.

 

“Security, Surveillance, Sanctuary, Scrutiny, Stakeout and Safekeeper,” Marinette hummed seductively. “I am Hawk Moth.”

 

Adrien gasped, pulling out his baton and moving to cover Alya. Marinette ignored him and continued her conversation with the poor souls she had trapped.

 

“I can make you the best bouncers in all of Paris,” she breathed, “but I need you to do something for me in return. Do we have a deal?”

 

“Who are you talking to?” Alya asked, stepping away from Adrien to get a closer look at the woman.

 

“Excellent,” Marinette continued, “find Chat Noir and Ladybug. Alert me of their whereabouts.”

 

The pink faded and Marinette wobbled slightly. She gripped the table and closed her eyes as pain covered her pretty features.

 

“ _Hawk Moth?”_ Adrien cried, “You’re Hawk Moth?”

 

“Not really,” Marinette sighed, keeping her eyes closed and leaning further onto the table.

 

“You need to start talking,” Adrien sighed, “stop with all the secrets and explain exactly what is going on here.”

 

“It’s a long sto –”

 

“I don’t care how long it takes you to tell it,” Adrien snapped, moving towards her and putting an arm around her waist. His instinct to look after her was difficult to suppress; even with this new knowledge. She leaned into his support but didn’t open her eyes. “My Ladybug is trapped somewhere with your Chat Noir. I want to know exactly what we’re dealing with before I kick his arse.”

 

“We need to find Marinette,” Alya agreed, watching the scene before her with her usual interest. “She’s in danger!”

 

“Chat Noir won’t kill her,” the woman admitted, blinking against whatever pain was ailing her. “He loves young Marinette more than anything.”

 

“Does he now,” Alya retorted, turning to eye Adrien shrewdly. “Have you known Ladybug was Marinette all along?”

 

“What?” Adrien snorted, “are you kidding me. Ladybug refused to tell me anything about her civilian self. She was adamant that I could never know who she was under the mask. I can’t believe she’s been in my class all along.”

 

“What do you mean?” Alya frowned, “she’s been in your class?”

 

Adrien smacked his hand against his forehead. He could hear Plagg chuckling at the back of his mind. Of course he’d let his own identity out. Of course he was stupid enough to say something incriminating.

 

Marinette laughed beside him, “Aw Kitty.”

 

“You go to our school?” Alya asked, gazing at him with newfound fascination. “I know you?”

 

Adrien nodded and gave a small sigh, before releasing his transformation. Plagg floated up to rest atop his head.

 

“ _Adrien!”_

He gave a small wave and grimaced. “I guess the cat’s out of the bag.”

 

“Adrien fucking Agreste!” Alya fumed, swinging a hand to slap his arm. He caught her wrist and tried to smile winningly it her. It didn’t work.

 

“I can’t believe this!” Alya pulled her arm away and began pacing. “First my best friend turns out to be super hot Ladybug. After years of following her every move and documenting every bloody fight. How did I not see it?”

 

“To be fair,” Marinette interrupted, “it’s part of the magic of the mask. Unless you’re told, you can’t identify the face underneath.”

 

“I couldn’t even spot who she was,” Adrien agreed, keeping his arm wrapped around the woman beside him.

 

“But I thought Chat was Adrien years ago!” Alya groaned, “I even showed Marinette a picture of Adrien in Chat’s suit!”

 

“You did?” Adrien chuckled, “you’re good!”

 

“How can polite, well mannered model boy be Chat Noir?” Alya asked, pausing in her pacing to look him up and down. “You’re nothing alike.”

 

“Two sides of the same coin,” Marinette replied with a soft smile. “Adrien is Chat and Chat is Adrien. They both have a playful side but Adrien was never allowed to show it. He wore his own mask as a civilian. Chat Noir is a freer version of Adrien. He is just as kind and loving.”

 

“And it works the same way for Marinette and Ladybug?” Alya asked, eyes flicking between the two.

 

Marinette shrugged, “I always felt more confident as Ladybug but I didn’t need a mask when I was just me. I was a bit clumsier and awkward though.”

 

Alya laughed mischievously, “Wait until my Marinette realises that Adrien is Chat!”

 

“It did take a little getting used to,” Marinette admitted, patting Adrien’s back fondly.

 

“Why?” Adrien asked, looking between the women with confusion. “What’s wrong with me?”

 

“Nothing,” Alya grinned, “you’re perfect!”

 

Plagg snorted from his position in Adrien’s hair.

 

“What is that thing?” Alya asked, standing up tip toes to look at him.

 

“I’m Chat Noir’s Kwami,” Plagg drawled, “and the god of destruction and bad luck.”

 

“Cool business card,” Alya grinned, “you look like a teeny, tiny kitty cat!”

 

“That’s exactly what he is,” Marinette smiled, bringing her hand up to rub his face. Plagg jumped away from her and zoomed above their heads.

 

“No touching,” Plagg warned, coming to a stop eye level with the older woman. “Not until you explain why you have Hawk Moth’s power and why I can’t find Tikki.”

 

Adrien let go of her and turned to watch as she pondered her response.

 

“Fine, but you’re not going to like it,” she began slowly, biting her lower lip. “Chat Noir and Ladybug defeated Hawk Moth three years ago, but it didn’t go as Master Fu had predicted. Something went wrong when we took the Miraculous off of him. Hawk Moth’s Kwami was destroyed in the fight.”

 

“That’s not possible,” Plagg muttered, shaking his head. “No-one has ever killed a Kwami. Our magic protects us. It can’t be extinguished.”

 

“It can’t be extinguished,” Marinette nodded, holding up her pulsating purple and black fingers. “Hawk Moth destroyed Nooroo and somehow split his powers into a new vessel.”

 

“You hold Nooroo’s magic?” Plagg frowned, gazing at her hands with concern. “You’re only human. That amount of power would kill you.”

 

“It would have,” Marinette agreed, “but I was saved by two incredible decisions. Chat Noir foolishly took half of Nooroo’s magic to counter balance it, and my darling Tikki sealed herself in my Miraculous so that she could take the impact of the magic. Plagg did the same for Chat.”

 

“I did?” Plagg sighed, closing his eyes for a second. “Adrien dies if I unseal myself?”

 

“Yes,” the bluenette nodded. “We both die without you and Tikki. I can barely control the magic as it is. Without her, I would be consumed by it and implode.”

 

“So how does it work?” Adrien asked, feeling tearful at the thought of Plagg doing something so selfless for him.

 

“Adrien and I have elements of Hawk Moth’s power,” Marinette sighed, “we can manipulate the butterflies and control people through their emotions. It’s not as easy but we can transform people. I still have Ladybug’s ability to create and cure, although it’s not as pure. It’s a corrupted form and works differently to how Ladybug would normally use it. Adrien can still destroy. He’s a lot more powerful now, but struggles to regulate it.”

 

“Explains why I couldn’t sense Tikki; she’s hidden under Hawk Moth’s energy. The spilt power must affect you both though,” Plagg noted. “What are the side effects?”

 

“We hate each other but can’t live without the other,” Marinette admitted. “We can’t go a long time without seeing each other or it makes us weaker. We fight a lot and struggle to be separated.”

 

“Sounds complicated,” Alya muttered. “So you can’t live happily ever after together?”

 

“Hardly!” Marinette laughed bitterly.

 

“What is your Adrien planning to do with my Ladybug?” The blond asked, feeling extremely uncomfortable. “You said he wouldn’t kill her, but if he can’t control himself then she’s in serious danger!”

 

“I don’t know how or why he would want her,” Marinette admitted. “He might just want to fuck her.”

 

Adrien paled.

 

“Somehow I doubt he would summon her all the way from the past to do that,” Plagg said reassuringly, coming to rest on Adrien’s shoulder. “It looks more like he is planning on using her to rid himself of Nooroo’s magic.”

 

“But how?” Alya asked, folding her arms around herself.

 

“I’m not sure,” Plagg admitted. “I think we need to find them first and then deal with whatever he’s doing, when we know Ladybug is safe.”

 

“She better be safe,” Adrien growled. He wasn’t sure what he would do if his future self laid a finger on her. Hawk Moth’s power be damned; Adrien would not hesitate to protect his Lady from himself.

 

 

~O~

 

 

Marinette woke up with a pain running the entire length of her spin. She had been tied to the same uncomfortable chair for two days. Her arse had gone numb within the first hour and now her back felt as if it would never feel normal again. Chat had allowed her toilet breaks but that was it. He popped in and out of the room, always appearing to be too busy to concern himself with her.

 

It was becoming increasingly more infuriating. The longer she sat there, the angrier she got. Just who did he think he was? Keeping her locked up and bond like a prisoner of war!

 

Marinette had had enough. She wiggled against the robes, trying desperately to ease them off her wrists. All she managed to do was create two angry red lines on her pale skin. She screamed in frustration and felt Tikki mutter reassuring in her mind.

 

“Chat Noir!” Marinette cried, “get in here now!”

 

Nothing happened for a few minutes, then the door opened and in strolled the very handsome grown up Adrien Agreste.

 

“What do you want?” He sighed, running a hand through messy blond hair. “I’m kind of busy right now.”

 

“I want Chat Noir!” Marinette replied, watching the man cautiously.

 

“Chat Noir doesn’t really exist anymore,” Adrien admitted, pulling up another chair and spinning it around so that he could straddle it backwards. He rested his arms against the back of it and stared at her intently. “You just have me and my evil Hawk Moth powers!”

 

“What?” Marinette frowned, trying unsuccessfully to unpick his words.

 

Adrien sighed dramatically. “I was once Chat Noir, Ladybug’s partner and hero of Paris. I helped defeat Hawk Moth but in doing so managed to trap my poor Kwami in my Miraculous ring.”

 

He held up the black piece of jewellery before continuing. “Ladybug and I both lost our ability to transform, and instead received an unhealthy dose of Hawk Moth’s magic. We have slowly but surely destroyed most of Paris fighting each other, and I need you to fix the situation.”

 

Marinette stared at him with her mouth hanging open. He lifted a large hand and gently pushed her jaw back up.

 

“We are both terrible human beings and we need to be stopped,” Adrien continued quietly. “You, Little Lady, are the key to curing all my problems.”

 

“Y-you’re C-chat Noir?” Marinette whispered, staring into his vibrant green eyes and actually seeing him for the first time.

 

“I am indeed,” Adrien grinned. “You’re taking this a lot better than the first time my identity was revealed. You screamed and cried, hit me a few times, then ran away for weeks!”

 

Marinette nodded weakly.

 

“I know it’s a bit strange –”

 

_“A bit!”_

 

“But you’ll soon get used to it,” Adrien continued with a chuckle. “Once our masks were off, Marinette and I were even stronger together. We seemed to grow in our abilities. Master Fu thinks we’re the strongest Chat Noir and Ladybug to have ever been!”

 

“I-I want to go back,” Marinette stuttered.

 

“No can do; I don’t trust your future self anymore and I’m not handing over something so precious when I know how vicious she can be.”

 

“I want to go back to my Chat and my Alya,” Marinette continued, feeling her irritation get the better of her and ignoring the shake of his head. “I am not _your_ Ladybug. I am certainly not something _precious_. Take me back!”

 

“I’ll see about bringing them here,” Adrien relented. “I didn’t know they had passed through with you. I summoned Ladybug, but they must have been holding you at the time.”

 

Marinette looked at the ground and nodded sadly.

 

“If it makes you feel better,” Adrien sighed, “I’ll get them for you.”

 

Marinette nodded again, glancing up at him with doe eyes. “Thank you. C-can I use the bathroom?”

 

Adrien sighed again, standing up and releasing her from the robes. He marched her out of the room and along a narrow corridor, into an old bathroom.

 

“I’ll be just out here,” he said as Marinette shut and locked the door.

 

She waited for one second to let out a shaky breath before quickly running the taps. As silently as possible, Marinette cranked the small window open and slithered through it. It was a tight fit but her Ladybug costume seemed to guide her through without a problem. Looking behind her for one last second, Marinette released her yoyo and made quick work of swinging onto the roof above. She landed silently, taking in her surroundings and planning her route away for the apartment building she had been contained in.

 

If Adrien thought she would roll over and play nice, he had another thing coming. She was Ladybug and she worked with _her_ Chat Noir.

 

She took a running jump and flew through the air, landing gracefully on the next building and the next. Making quick progress of the crumbling Paris capital, Marinette could just make out the Agreste manor. Smiling victoriously, she landed on another roof with ease. She paused as a noise to her left caught her attention. Six large men strolled along the rooftop, wearing strange black latex uniforms and pink masks.

 

“Halt Ladybug,” the largest of the men called across the night.

 

Marinette eyed them apprehensively, before taking another running jump and leaping through the air. Her yoyo guided her flawlessly across the nights’ sky. The men were not deterred and gave chase.

 

“Brilliant,” Marinette huffed, speeding up and dodging what appeared to be a flying set of handcuffs.

 

“Ladybug,” another of the men yelled, “you must stop! It is for your own protection!”

 

Another handcuff whizzed across the inky sky and caught hold of her right hand. Marinette took a nose dive onto a large balcony. Her cheek stung as it grazed against the hard surface and she came to a skidding stop when the handcuff latched onto an iron bar. It jolted her shoulder and she cried out in pain.

 

Two of the masked men landed beside her, the other four stood as look-outs above them. Marinette crouched into her famous defensive position and flicked her yoyo at the closest man. He yowled in pain as the red and black weapon hit him square between the eyes. He doubled over and took two steps back. Marinette wasted no time in sending the yoyo back to trip him up. He landed in a heap.

 

“For security reasons,” the second man said in a robotic accent, “I ask you to stand down.”

 

“Get away from me,” Marinette fumed, sending her leg out to kick his own legs from under him. He sent another set of handcuffs and Marinette spun, crying out when her shoulder pulled again.

 

She just had time to blink as two of the lookouts were sent over the rooftops. They sailed through the air and landed with a sickening thud on the street below. The third and fourth look outs didn’t fair much better as the sound of sliced flesh rang across the roof. Marinette looked up to see the imposing figure of Chat Noir landing on the balcony with a quiet determination. He lifted the first man, snapping his neck without a second thought. Marinette watched in horror as the body landed beside her; eyes unseeing.

 

Chat pulled his long swords from his back and spun to stab the last man in the chest. Marinette was shocked to see he had no tail, but the thought didn’t last long because he started his next attack. Both swords came out the other side as if they had passed through butter and the burly man fell dead to the floor. Marinette whimpered as the blond placed each sword back in its holder and moved towards her.

 

“You silly girl,” he snapped, breaking the handcuff with his dark magic. “Running away from me isn’t going to do anyone any favours.”

 

Marinette felt her head spin as he lifted her up by the arms. She took in the sight of the two mangled bodies, heat travelling around her and making her stomach turn. Chat didn’t have a chance to take a step back as she heaved the contents of her belly onto his sturdy steel-toed boots.

 

“Ah, fuck!” He cried, as she continued to empty herself.

 

Her body shook and tears fell down her face as she watched the blood soak onto the balcony. He had killed six men in the space of five minutes. He was a monster and she had to get away.

 

With another whimper, Marinette straightened up and pushed him with all her might. He moved barely an inch but his shock was enough to give her a get away. Swinging with everything she had, Marinette ran. She could hear him giving chase and sped up.

 

“Come back!” He shouted. “Stop running so I can explain!”

 

“You killed them,” Marinette sobbed, getting closer to the mansion. “You killed every single one of them!”

 

“Marinette had sent them after you!” Chat yelled, “I couldn’t take any chances!”

 

“So you killed them,” Marinette cried, stopping suddenly to face him. “You _killed_ them!”

 

Chat came to a sharp halt in front of her. “Marinette had used Hawk Moth’s power on them and I couldn’t risk you getting hurt.”

 

“Hawk Moth could only create one poor slave at a time,” the heroine wept, “how could she possibly make six?”

 

“Your future self has Tikki and Hawk Moth’s combined power,” Chat explained quietly. “Ladybug has always been a creator. She could make an entire army if she wanted to. I only have the power to create one minion at a time.”

 

“ _Minion!”_ Marinette hissed in disgust. “Listen to yourself!”

 

“Do you not see why I need you?” Chat cried, running his hands through his hair. “I am evil. Marinette is evil. We need to be stopped and you can do that. My Marinette will hear none of it and I can’t keep doing this.”

 

Both breathed heavily, staring at each other in desperation.

 

“Please Ladybug,” Chat begged, lifting a hand to touch her grazed cheek. “I am trying to do the right thing.”

 

She flinched as his hand cupped her injury and she closed her eyes against his penetrating stare.

 

“Come back with me for one week,” he continued in a soft voice, “I’ll tell you everything I can and then you can make your decision. If you decide to go back to _her_ then I will let you, and I won’t bother you again.”

 

“You promise?” Marinette uttered, lifting her big blue eyes to the beautiful man before her.

 

“I promise Princess,” Chat breathed, caressing her cheek gently. “One week is all I ask.”

 

Marinette nodded.

 

One week.

 

She would give him that.

 

After everything Marinette had seen tonight, she was sure of one thing. Ladybug and Chat Noir needed to be stopped.

 

 

~O~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the Kudos and comments for this story. It's really motivating to see and hear that people have enjoyed what I've written so far!


	7. Extraction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alya and Adrien have a little chat. Marinette is confused.

Alya watched in horror as the fight replayed on the largest screen in the room. Ladybug running across the rooftops; becoming handcuffed and fighting two of Marinette’s possessed security team. Chat Noir appearing as if from nowhere and making short work of each man in a violent and bloodthirsty manner. Six men murdered at his hands.

 

Tears formed in Alya’s eyes as she watched her darling Ladybug throw up over the older man and then run like the wind. She watched the entire exchange between them and for the life of her, Alya couldn’t understand why Ladybug had relented to Chat. He had proven that he was unstable. He had proven that he was crazy.

 

So why on Earth had Ladybug left with him?

 

“She feels loyalty to him,” Marinette’s older self announced, pausing the film and rewinding to watch the entire scene again. “She is confusing her feelings for her Chat with him.”

 

“I am nothing like that,” Adrien muttered, from his position sat on the floor. He sat with his arms wrapped around his raised knees, looking dejected and unsure.

 

“No,” Marinette agreed, “but the loyalty is still there. I would have done anything for you when I was her age.”

 

Adrien looked at her sceptically, “Ladybug spends most of her time keeping me at arms length. I don’t think she would do _anything_ for me.”

 

The bluenette laughed softly, “Oh Kitty. I kept you at arms length because I was confused by all my feelings for you. I loved you and spent most of my teen years trying to deny it. I was obsessed with Adrien Agreste but I was in love with Chat Noir.”

 

“Same person apparently,” Alya snorted, plonking herself down beside Adrien.

 

“No _apparently_ about it,” Marinette smiled, “and I was furious with myself when I found out. I hid from him for weeks because I was so embarrassed!”

 

“My Ladybug doesn’t love me,” Adrien replied with a shake of his head.

 

Alya snorted, giving him a nudge. “Open your eyes boy!”

 

“I’m going to pay a little visit to all of my Chat’s known hideouts,” Marinette announced turning the monitors off and facing the teens with a grim smile. “I’ll send word to Nathalie if I find anything. Can you both stay in the manor whilst I’m gone?”

 

“So you’re not locking us in our room?” Alya questioned, getting up and holding her hand out to Adrien.

 

“I don’t see the point now,” Marinette admitted. “I don’t think Chat will be back for either of you. Besides, this is technically Adrien’s house. Just don’t snoop or do anything stupid.”

 

Adrien nodded and they watched her leave in her usual swirl of black and purple. The teenagers stood still for a moment before both turned to look at the other.

 

“So any ideas Cat Boy?” Alya said, folding her arms.

 

“Let’s go to the kitchens and get something to eat,” Adrien replied, leading the way. “Neither of us have eaten since Ladybug was taken and I’m pretty sure I’m gonna need all my strength against my nut-job future self.”

 

“You’re not seriously considering fighting him are you?” Alya groaned, trying to match his long strides. “He has two massive knives strapped to his back and he’s built like Iron Man.”

 

“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” Adrien sighed, taking a concealed corridor and marching on. “I think a fight is inevitable, don’t you?”

 

“I can’t believe you’re Chat Noir,” Alya sighed, taking a set of stairs two at a time to keep up with the blond. “All this time and you never let it slip.”

 

“I was careful,” Adrien admitted. “My father would have kept me locked in my room for life if he had ever found out.”

 

“Did you have any clue about Marinette?”

 

“Did you?” Adrien replied, opening a heavy wooden door and stepping aside to let Alya enter first.

 

“None whatsoever,” she admitted, eyeing the huge kitchen and heading towards a tall table. She leapt up onto it and watched as Adrien began rummaging around the fridge. “Although it does explain the tiredness and weird disappearances at school.”

 

“I can’t really merge Ladybug and Marinette yet,” he admitted, loading his arms with various foods and bringing them over to Alya. “I see two different girls in my head.”

 

“The more I think about it,” Alya admitted, unwrapping a plate of cold meats. “The more I can see it. Both crazy mad when it comes to helping people, both kind and courageous. Marinette is just way clumsier. She has a heart of gold and a smile of sunshine just like Ladybug.”

 

“Ladybug is also stubborn and impulsive,” Adrien replied thoughtfully. “Is that a Marinette thing?”

 

“Absolutely!”

 

“I’ve always liked Marinette,” he admitted, taking out cutlery and plates. “She was one of the first friends I ever made when I started school.”

 

“Mine too,” Alya smiled, helping herself to the array of cheeses, meats and breads laid out before her. “I met her a day before you started. She was so lovely and shared a macaroon with me.”

 

“So the same day I met Ladybug!” Adrien laughed, loading his own plate up. He cut some of stinky cheese and placed in in his jacket pocket.

 

“Saving it for later?” Alya asked, raising an eyebrow.

 

“Plagg,” he shrugged, rolling a slice of ham into his mouth and chewing thoughtfully. “Do you think Marinette will be disappointed when she finds out I’m Chat Noir?”

 

“Are you kidding me?” She rolled her eyes. “She’ll freak at first but I imagine she’ll be over the moon to know that the boy she’s mad about is also the boy she saves the world with.”

 

“We don’t save the world!”

 

“You are actual real life superheroes,” Alya laughed. “You could save the world if it was needed.”

 

Adrien laughed, jumping up to get two glasses and some cloudy lemonade. “We are pretty cool.”

 

“Understatement of the century,” Alya snorted, taking her glass and clinking it against his. “I would never have guessed smooth talking Chat and arse kicking Ladybug were you two dorks, but it totally makes sense. You’re both amazing in and out of the suits.”

 

Adrien blushed and scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. “Thanks.”

 

“It’s a lot to take in,” she admitted, “but I know you will both be fine with all this. She’s still the girl you’ve worked with for years and you’re still her faithful cat. It will be strange at first but you’ll move past the awkwardness and be even closer.”

 

“Until we decide to hate each other,” Adrien sighed, rubbing his eyes. “I can’t imagine ever wanting to hurt Ladybug.”

 

“To be fair,” Alya noted with a smirk, “you’ll want to fuck her eventually too.”

 

The poor boy groaned; his face burning red. “Please don’t bring that up again.”

 

“I’m only saying what is clear to see,” Alya continued, ignoring his discomfort. “Somewhere down the line you will both be desperate to get each others clothes off. The sexual chemistry between the two of you is explosive.”

 

“He already does,” Plagg noted, sticking his head out of Adrien’s pocket with a grin. Alya watched the little creature with a fascinated smile. The thing was seriously cute but seemed to have a bit of a mouth on him.

 

“Don’t you start,” Adrien sighed, running long fingers through his hair.

 

“You’ve been obsessed with Ladybug for years,” the little black cat continued. “Don’t deny that you want to mate with her.”

 

“Mate?” Alya laughed.

 

“Not mate,” Adrien muttered, looking anywhere but her. “More like date.”

 

“With the eventual mating ritual that you humans seem to love taking part in,” Plagg drawled, floating up and landing on Adrien’s head.

 

“Shut up!”

 

“So sex with Ladybug,” Alya clarified, “but not Marinette.”

 

“No sex with either,” Adrien huffed, looking like he wished for the ground to open up and shallow him whole. “Just a date would be nice.”

 

“You are too cute,” Alya smiled. “You’re made for each other.”

 

“Obviously,” Plagg snorted, rolling his eyes. “Ladybug and Chat Noir are two parts of one whole. They are literally _made for each other_.”

 

“So they always hook up?” Alya asked with interest.

 

“No, things are never that simple,” Plagg muttered. “But the most successful partnerships happen when both halves are aligned together; whether that’s as family, friends or lovers.”

 

“Well you’re already friends,” Alya replied, punching Adrien on the arm. “You have been pretty successful so far.”

 

“They are sickening,” Plagg said, patting Adrien’s head. “I’ve never had such a sweet kitten.”

 

“Aw,” Alya smirked, “eventually the sweet kitten is going to shag my best friend.”

 

“I will pay you to stop going on about it,” Adrien moaned as the little cat on his head chuckled.

 

“Alright, I’ll stop!”

 

“Thanks,” he grumbled. “Besides, I’m too _twinkly_ to even think about sex.”

 

“Yeah,” Alya laughed, “sorry about all that. You’re totally gorgeous but I much prefer the darker side.”

 

“I hope Marinette doesn’t,” Adrien replied quietly. “I don’t want her to help him in any way.”

 

“She’s a smart cookie, she’ll figure it out.”

 

Adrien lifted his glass and took a deep swig of his drink; downing the entire thing in three large gulps. Alya watched him with concern. It was a lot to take in and he was handling it with his usual grace and style. The trouble was, she now knew he had another persona; one which often lead to loud confrontations and a path of destruction. Adrien was Chat and that meant he was capable of far more than Alya had ever imagined. He could quite literally summon the bad luck of the world and use it to obliterate anything or anyone.

 

He gave her a weak smile and held his glass between strong hands. “If he hurts her, I’ll ruin any plan he has for the future.”

 

“I don’t doubt that,” Alya admitted softly. “Ladybug can always rely on you.”

 

Adrien shut his eyes as the glass smashed unexpectedly between his powerful fingers. Plagg flew down to nuzzle his cheeks affectionately. When he finally looked back at her, it wasn’t Adrien. In that moment, Alya would never understand how she’d never seen it before. Chat Noir stared at her with his bright green eyes and a determined smirk.

 

“ _Marinette_ can always rely on me,” he said with confidence.

 

 

~O~

 

 

She awoke to bright light streaming in from the dirty bedroom window. Groaning, Marinette pulled her pillow over her pounding head and tried to fall back to sleep. She groaned even louder when a large hand gripped her ankle and pulled gently.

 

“Wakey, wakey Baby Bug,” Chat Noir’s sing song voice echoed around the room. “I need you up so we can get out of here within the next hour.”

 

“No,” Marinette mumbled, kicking her leg out of his warm hold. “Too tired.”

 

“I can see that,” Chat chuckled, “but you either get up on your own or _I_ will get you up.”

 

Marinette’s sleep fogged brain seemed to catch up with her. She gasped and shot up, pulling the bed covers up to her chin. Staring down the bed, she gulped at the sight of the wickedly handsome Adrien Agreste grinning down at her. He was perched at the very end of the bed in a befitting grey jumper and dark jeans combo which sent Marinette’s heart a flutter.

“Morning Princess,” he continued to grin. “Do you need my help getting out of this bed?”

 

“No!” Marinette shrieked, feeling her face light up in embarrassment. “G-get out and I’ll get ready.”

 

Adrien continued to smirk, taking in her flushed features and lack of eye contact. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen that kind of blush on your pretty cheeks.”

 

Marinette narrowed her eyes and tried to unstick her tongue. He was mocking her!

 

“Such a cute teenager,” he chuckled, moving to grab her ankle again. Marinette didn’t give him the chance and instead sent a hard kick to his ribs.

 

“Alright, alright,” Adrien laughed, “I’m going.”

 

He got up and quickly exited the room, leaving Marinette to gawp after him. Tikki whizzed out of her hiding place under the pillow and nuzzled the teenager affectionately.

 

“He is awful,” Marinette huffed, moving to throw her only set of clothes back on in a rush.

 

“Well, he certainly isn’t the sweet boy you go to school with,” Tikki sighed. “Stay strong and wait the rest of this week out.”

 

Marinette nodded, ran her fingers through her hair and re-tied them into messy pig tails. She crept across the shabby room and silently opened the door onto the bare living room. Tikki hid comfortably in Marinette’s blazer pocket.

 

“I’ve made you breakfast,” Adrien smiled, walking out of the tiny kitchen area holding two plates of cooked bacon and warm breads. “I realise I haven’t actually fed you since taking you away from the manor. I’m not in the habit of having house guests any more and I seem to have forgotten a few things.”

 

“House guest?” Marinette snorted, gingerly making her way to a small dining table and sitting down with as much grace as she could manage.

 

“A very important house guest,” Adrien replied, placing the food in front of her and sitting himself down with his own plate. “I’ll try and be a bit more considerate.”

 

Marinette picked up a soft roll and began to chew it thoughtfully, watching him as he poured two glasses of fresh juice. He looked so carefree and content.

 

“Don’t you feel any remorse or sadness about last night?”

 

Adrien looked up, pausing in his actions to provide them with refreshments. His green eyes pierced through her, making Marinette squirm uncomfortably in her chair.

 

“I don’t really feel much these days,” he admitted, placing the jug on the table and giving her his full attention. “Hawkmoth’s negative energy stops me from feeling anything most of the time. Now and then I get a sensation of something. Usually it involves my Marinette. It has been a very long time since I felt remorse.”

 

“You feel nothing?”

 

“I feel negative energy,” Adrien replied with a small smile. “I feel a constant war in my body between Nooroo and Plagg; Hawkmoth’s Kwami and my own. I struggle to identify actual feelings unless they are extremely powerful.”

 

“Love and hate?” Marinette muttered, continuing to chew slowly.

 

“Love and hate,” Adrien nodded. “My Marinette elicits both from me.”

 

“So you don’t care that you killed those men,” she continued, watching him carefully.

 

“I know I should care,” he admitted with a small smile, “but I really don’t. I needed to protect you and I did what I thought was necessary.”

 

“Killing shouldn’t be the solution to any problem,” Marinette whispered, breaking her eye contact with the man and dropping her roll. Any desire to eat had quickly vanished.

 

Adrien shrugged, continuing to enjoy his breakfast. “Then you’re not going to like why I have brought you here.”

 

“You want me to kill?”

 

“I want you to help me extract Hawkmoth’s power,” Adrien replied with another easy going smile. “If the power is extracted, it will most likely involve death.”

 

“You’re willing to die?” Marinette frowned. “You told Volpina she was crazy for suggesting it to _her_!”

 

“Volpina is crazy and so is Fu,” Adrien agreed, “they want both myself and my Marinette to die but I don’t think that’s essential to the extraction. One of us could live if we do it my way.”

 

“Who do you plan on keeping alive?”

 

“That is really up to you,” Adrien chuckled, “seeing as you get to be the one doing the hard work. I thought I would let you pick whoever you deem saveable. We are both a problem, so you can decide who is the least problematic.”

“That’s an awful lot to ask,” Marinette admitted, gazing up at him sadly. “Save my future self, or save the man who was once a boy who meant everything to me.”

 

“Adrien or Marinette,” he nodded.

 

“Chat Noir,” she whispered softly. “I meant Chat Noir.”

 

The blond gave her a heartbreakingly gorgeous grin. “Chat Noir indeed. I certainly am not him any more but the decision is all yours. Whatever you decide I will continue with my plan and we can stop this nightmare for once and for all.”

 

“And how do we do that?” Marinette asked as Tikki popped her head out of her pocket to observe the man before them.

 

Adrien glanced over at the Kwami and nodded. “I haven’t seen you for a long time Tik.”

 

“What is your plan Adrien?” Tikki replied in her little voice. “You owe Marinette the details after what you’ve put her through.”

 

“It’s actually very simple,” he sighed, rubbing his face. “You will use the dagger I’ve borrowed, to obtain Nooroo’s power from one of us. It will most likely kill the other and it will definitely end the imbalance of good and bad luck residing on the planet. Chaos will no longer rule and, with time, Plagg and Tikki will find new Miraculous holders.”

 

“Sounds far too simple,” Marinette said, raising an eyebrow.

 

“Because it is too simple,” Tikki agreed, shooting out of her pocket and up to Adrien’s perfect face. “To obtain the magic with a dagger, someone needs to be stabbed.”

 

He nodded, glancing between Tikki and Marinette with an excited look covering his features. “One little stab and the powers are gone. All this darkness eradicated and the world can move on.”

 

“You want me to stab you or my future self?”

 

Adrien chuckled, “I want you to end all this. You know it’s the right thing to do. The planet is in an absolute mess because creation and destruction can not work in balance with each other. Wars are ravaging countries, magical beings can’t control their abilities and people are unable to love peacefully. Tikki and Plagg are desperately needed. They are no use trapped inside two stupid humans.”

 

Marinette shook her head sadly. “I won’t kill.”

 

“You don’t need to decide anything now. Give yourself some time and observe what’s around you. I’m not going to force anything yet,” Adrien promised, eyeing her untouched plate of food. “Now, I’m guessing you’re going to continue to pick at that food so let’s leave breakfast and get out of here. I’ll get you something nicer for lunch.”

 

He cleared the plates and cups quickly, allowing Marinette a minute to snuggle against Tikki’s warming presence and another to use the bathroom.

 

“I’ve packed a bag for us,” he continued, when she had entered the room again. “We’ll be dodging my Marinette for a few days and keeping a low profile. I’ve got lots to show you and I think it’ll help make up your decision.”

 

“We’re leaving?” Marinette asked, heading towards him when he motioned for her to follow.

 

“I have lots of locations around the city that we can use to keep hidden,” Adrien replied, guiding them out of the tiny apartment. He locked up using his strange magic and kept disturbingly close to her as they walked down the many flights of stairs, leading to underground parking. A fancy looking sports car roared into life when he pulled his keys out of his pocket.

 

“We’re driving this?” Marinette said with a raised eyebrow. “Not particularly inconspicuous.”

 

“I change cars every couple of weeks,” Adrien grinned, opening the door for her. “It’s not even in my name. Get in and relax.”

 

Relaxing was easier said than done, as they drove through a desolate Paris. The car was sleek, stylish and fast, but it didn’t distract from the thoughts whirling around Marinette’s head. Stabbing, extracting powers and picking someone to die were not problems she had ever had to face before. Her Ladybug duties had not prepared her for time travel and Adrien Agreste (who happened to also be Chat Noir) giving her such a daunting task. It also didn’t help that Marinette had no idea whether she could actually trust him. She knew she didn’t trust her own future self.

 

As if sensing Marinette’s inner turmoil, Adrien moved a large hand off the steering wheel to pat her leg in a comforting manner. She jumped away from his touch and sent her best withering glare. He had the cheek to chuckle.

 

How the hell was she supposed to deal with all this?

 

 

~O~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone is interested I'm on Tumblr under the same name AmyEatsCake. I'm not particularly whizzy on it but I have put inspirational outfits for my future Marinette up in case anyone is curious. I also have a sickening amount of Miraculous love on there :)


	8. The Lady and Her Chat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette learns a little more.

“I want to go,” Marinette choked, looking away from the decimated bakery as tears fell down her cheeks. “I’ve seen enough.”

 

“Have you?” Adrien asked, standing still beside her as they took in the pile of rubble that once made up her home.

 

“I-It’s gone,” she stammered, closing her eyes from the sickening sight. “Everything’s gone and everyone’s dead. I think you’ve made your point.”

 

Over the past five days, Marinette had been taken to ruined homes and destroyed locations all over the city. She had visited graveyards and hospitals, looking at dead people’s names and injured bodies. Adrien had given her a whistle-stop tour of this new world and the bedlam that resided here. Never in her life had Marinette seen so many cases of disaster and disorder. The world had gone mad. The people she loved had disappeared. Only a handful of survivors remained; each more broken than the other.

 

“I need you to see what life is like without the balance of Tikki and Plagg’s powers.”

 

“I see it,” Marinette snapped, gazing up at him through her tears. “I see it all.”

 

Adrien nodded, holding his hand out for her to take. As their fingers touched, Marinette was magically pulled away from the scene. She landed back in the penthouse suite Adrien had brought them to that morning. Dropping his hand as if it burned, Marinette marched away from the blond and quickly entered the master bedroom. Letting out a shaky sigh, she flung herself onto the bed and sobbed into a pillow.

 

The stupid idiot followed her into the room and took his place beside her on the bed.

 

“I know it’s hard to comprehend,” Adrien began, stroking her hair from the only part of her face he could see. “But if you are to make a decision on who to keep alive, you need to know everything.”

 

Marinette continued to cry, turning her body away from him and laying flat on her stomach. Her wonderful parents were gone. What did she care about his ridiculous plan?

 

“Our powers are uncontrollable,” he continued, “sometimes we get a burst of dark energy and we can’t contain it. We’ve destroyed most of the capital trying to keep each other in check. The darkness takes over and we lose the ability to think straight.”

 

With a gentle hand, he rubbed Marinette’s back pacifyingly. “A few weeks after getting the powers, we had a terrible fight. I was so angry with Marinette for getting herself caught up in the battle between Hawk Moth and I. She was never supposed to face him. I had always planned to stop him without her getting hurt.”

 

“Hawk Moth can only be defeated if Ladybug and Chat Noir work together,” Marinette frowned, giving him her full attention as her eyes found his again. “We are a team.”

 

“I was trying to protect the love of my life,” Adrien sighed, caressing a wet cheek. “I didn’t want my Lady to do what I knew needed to be done. Hawk Moth was not going to give up without a serious fight and I thought I could defeat him without involving Ladybug.”

 

Marinette watched as he rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. “Ladybug had other ideas. She got to Hawk Moth first and I only just managed to get to them in time. I intervened when the Miraculous was taken off him. Somehow Nooroo was ripped from inside it and split in two. Hawk Moth’s last manipulation was for his Kwami. The poor thing has been infected and twisted. I carry one half and Marinette has the other.”

 

“That sounds painful.”

 

“The worst pain I have ever experienced,” Adrien admitted. “The burning sensation lasted for months. Tikki and Plagg took the brunt of it but neither of our bodies was ever built to contain such powerful magic; and dark magic is even trickier to hold. I was so angry at her. It should have been me who dealt with it. Instead we shared the agony.”

 

“So you fought?” Marinette asked, feeling her tears dry as she listened in quiet horror.

 

“We couldn’t express what we were feeling or thinking,” Adrien sighed, moving again to her warm back and gliding a hand down it. “So we attacked each other with everything we had. Tom and Sabine were caught in the cross fire when we exploded in a fit of rage. I had gone to see my Marinette and in doing so had unintentionally brought death to their door. We woke up in the smoking pile of, what was only hours before, Marinette’s loving home. Everything in a mile radius had been destroyed.”

 

“I killed my own parents?” Marinette whispered, feeling her heart ache in its sadness.

 

“We killed your parents,” Adrien corrected, “unintentionally, but it didn’t matter. The damage was done and after that we separated and tried to stay as far away from each other as possible.”

 

“Does it help?”

 

“Not at all. After a month of separation, we both got sick. The magic needs to be connected to its other half or it becomes even harder to manage,” Adrien admitted with a small smile. “It leaks out of us and destroys. Marinette and I have no choice but to stay in touch. It’s a blessing and a curse. Sometimes it feels like we loath each other, but in reality we need the other in order to function.”

 

“That’s so sad,” Marinette muttered softly. “It’s a horrible way to live.”

 

“Which is why I summoned you Little Bug,” Adrien said, patting her shoulder. “I can’t spend any longer like this. Something needs to be done and I won’t let Fu take any chance of a life out of our hands. My Marinette refuses to listen to reason and just buries her head in the sand. I won’t.”

 

“I don’t think I can do what you ask of me,” Marinette admitted, sitting up and wiping her face with her hands.

 

“Then perhaps I should take you back to the manor,” Adrien sighed, matching her sitting position. “Our week is nearly up anyway. We’ll sleep here tonight and I’ll take you back in the morning.”

 

“You’re willing to hand me over,” Marinette said in surprise. “Just like that?”

 

“I’ve shown you everything I can think of,” Adrien admitted. “I’ve told you as much as I can. Now it’s over to you. Think on it and observe the life your future self leads. If you change your mind, I will be close by.”

 

He gave her one last pat on the shoulder and quietly excused himself from the room. The door clicked shut, leaving Marinette hunched over on the soft bed. Tikki rose from her position in Marinette’s bag and proceeded to nuzzle her affectionately.

 

“I wish I could put a stop to all this for you,” the tiny bug hummed. “I wish I could use my own magic to set everything right.”

 

“It’s not that simple,” Marinette said with a weak smile. “I don’t think your healing light will sort this mess out, even if you tried.”

 

“There is still good inside him,” Tikki noted, looking towards the closed door. “He is trying to do the right thing.”

 

“He isn’t my Kitty though,” Marinette replied honestly. “I wish I could talk to him about all this.”

 

“You could always use the Ladybug phone?” Tikki said with an encouraging smile. “I’m sure he wants to talk to you too.”

 

“It’s going to be awkward now, he knows I’m Marinette.”

 

“I don’t think that will change Chat’s opinion of you at all,” Tikki replied reassuringly. “You are still his Ladybug. He is extremely loyal.”

 

“Chat is Adrien,” she said biting her lip. “How did I not see it?”

 

“I don’t think either of you wanted to see it,” Tikki smiled. “Both of you stubbornly idolised one part of yourselves and were blinded by what you saw.”

 

Marinette groaned, placing her head in her hands. “I’ve been rejecting Adrien Agreste for years!”

 

Tikki giggled, patting Marinette’s head lovingly. “Yes, you’ve kept him at arms length for a while.”

 

Marinette lifted her eyes to Tikki with a frown. “Did you know who he really was under that mask?”

 

Tikki giggled again. “I may have had a little idea, but I do not meddle in my chosen’s affairs. You needed to discover for yourself who Chat Noir really was. It shouldn’t have happened like this, but that can’t be changed now.”

 

“I don’t know what to say to him,” Marinette admitted quietly.

 

“Just relax and say whatever you want!”

 

“I’ll ring him tonight,” Marinette nodded. “I want to see him so much. I want to see my Chat and I want to talk everything through.”

 

“A wise decision,” Tikki agreed. “Now, have a nice bath and try to unwind from such an emotional day.”

 

Marinette agreed and quickly made her way to the huge un-suite bathroom. She poured a ridiculous amount of bubbles into the vast bath and stripped off without a single thought. The water felt heavenly as she slipped down and let her body melt into its warmth. Dunking her head under the water, she washed away the dirt and grime of travelling around a torn up city. Her tear stained cheeks were scrubbed, along with her hair and aching body. Marinette stayed submersed in water for over an hour, letting herself recover from the stress of the entire week.

 

When she felt somewhat more human, Marinette begrudgingly got out and dried off. Her dirty clothes stared up at her from the floor and she swiftly ignored them. Wrapping a towel around her body, Marinette went back to the bedroom and carefully opened Adrien’s bag. She fished out a large purple jumper and a pair of clean black boxers, hesitating for a second before pulling them on. Both were too big for her but she felt better having something fresh on. The jumper smelt sinfully manly and Marinette couldn’t help holding her sleeves up to her face and inhaling deeply.

 

Catching a glimpse of herself in the wardrobe mirrors, Marinette blushed deeply and dropped her arms. The jumper looked huge on her and thankfully covered her body perfectly. Only long and pale legs were on display and Marinette wasn’t particularly worried about them. Tikki gave her a sweet smile and settled into the pillow of the bed, preparing for a little snooze.

 

With one last glance, Marinette moved from the room and into the penthouse living space. She found Adrien sat at an impressive dinning table, with a bottle of whiskey and a set of crystal glasses.

 

“Is that what you’re having for dinner?” Marinette asked, sitting gingerly next to him and brushing her damp hair up into a messy bun.

 

He gave her the once over and raised an eyebrow. “Cute, but I’m pretty sure they’re my clothes Little Lady.”

 

“Mine are filthy,” she shrugged, pulling her legs up onto the chair and hugging them to her chest. “What’s with the drink?”

 

“Just trying to re-evaluate my life choices,” Adrien grinned, pouring her a large glass and sliding it her way. “Here, try it out. I know that in later life you relish the alcohol.”

 

Marinette took a small sip and grimaced. The liquid burned as it travelled down her throat and made her eyes water. The blond man beside her laughed joyfully.

 

“In a few years you’ll be able to down glasses of this stuff without so much as a blink!”

 

She took another sip and shook her head. “It tastes disgusting.”

 

“I suppose it does,” Adrien agreed, taking a long drag and smacking his lips once he’d swallowed. “Helps with the nightmares though.”

 

Marinette watched him with a frown. He was such a beautiful man. He had always been so warm and lovely growing up. It seemed unthinkable that he lived such a hard life without any joy or love. The unfairness of it all struck her and before she could think about it, Marinette placed her small hand on top of his larger one. Green eyes met blue and a shock of electricity shot up Marinette’s back.

 

“I’m not your Adrien,” he whispered, turning his hand so that their palms met.

 

“I know,” Marinette uttered just as softly, “but you were once and I can’t help that I want to make it better. I want to help you; I just don’t think I can. I’m not strong enough to take away a life. I can’t make that decision.”

 

He nodded, lacing his fingers through hers. “I understand Bug. I’m not going to force it.”

 

Marinette smiled sadly, “I think you feel more than you want to admit.”

 

“I think you’re stronger than _you_ want to admit,” Adrien replied, squeezing her little hand playfully. He took another gulp of his drink and Marinette followed suit. She pulled another face as the alcohol warmed her body. He chuckled and let go of her hand with a pat.

 

“In another life,” Adrien smiled, “I want to spend every minute of my time with you.”

 

Marinette flushed and rolled her eyes, “Easy Kitty, one drink does not make me yours.”

 

“No,” he laughed, “but years of being your Superhero partner does help!”

 

“Maybe when I go back to my time,” Marinette said quietly, “maybe things will be different?”

 

“I hope so,” Adrien sighed. “Now, instead of drinking our troubles away and ending up in bed together, why don’t I cook dinner?”

 

“In your dreams,” Marinette huffed, continuing to blush furiously.

 

“Don’t worry,” he grinned smugly, “I’m not going to deny my younger self the opportunity to be your first.”

 

The bastard had the cheek to wink at her, before he got up and made his way to the kitchen. Marinette sat glued to the chair for a second, burning from her head to her toes, before she too shot up and followed him.

 

“W-wait, what?”

 

 

~O~

 

 

“You’re getting a call,” Plagg whispered in his ear, as Alya continued to scan through news reports on the laptop she’d been given.

 

It had been almost a week since Marinette had gone. The pair had spent their time searching through CCTV footage and the news for any trace of her. Future Marinette had gone out every day to search all known properties of Adrien’s and spent the evenings trawling through her magical TV screens. Their girl had popped up in random places but never long enough for anyone to do anything. It had been thoroughly frustrating and extremely worrying.

 

“I’m gonna have a shower,” Adrien lied, excusing himself from the drawing room with careful ease.

 

“Alright dude,” Alya yawned, “I’m gonna carry on for another hour or so, I’ll be up later.”

 

He nodded and exited without further discussion. Life with Alya was fairly easy. They both respected each others boundaries and worked well together. They had a common goal which helped; find and save Marinette from evil Adrien.

 

Closing the door to the guest bathroom, Adrien quickly transformed and answered. “Bugaboo?”

 

“Chat?” Ladybug whispered, coming in to view and sending a jolt to Adrien’s heart. She was so close.

 

“Are you okay?” He asked, absorbing the image of her gorgeous face gazing up at him through his phone. “Where are you?”

 

“I’m fine,” she replied softly. “I- I wanted to see you. I’m sorry I haven’t been in c-contact. I’ve been moving all over Paris and things have been tricky.”

 

“Has he hurt you?” Adrien breathed, looking for any signs of maltreatment. She looked tired but thankfully unharmed.

 

“No, he’s been fine.”

 

“Tell me where you are and I’ll come and get you!”

 

“You don’t need to do that,” Ladybug said with a weak smile. “I’ll be back soon.”

 

“It’s not safe,” Adrien continued, taking a seat on the bathroom floor. “I could be with you within the hour.”

 

“I’m as safe here as I was with _her_ ,” Ladybug sighed, also moving to sit down in what looked like a bathroom.

 

“Marinette has been working really hard to find you,” Adrien muttered quietly. “She’s been just as worried as myself and Alya.”

 

Ladybug flushed, “Chat – ”

 

“– Ladybug,” Adrien whispered, “she isn’t going to hurt you.”

 

“I – I’ve seen what she has done to Paris,” she sighed sadly. “I’ve s-seen what _I’ve_ done to Paris.”

 

“Bug, you’ve done nothing wrong,” he said soothingly, “we can still change all this. Nothing is set in stone.”

 

“You really think so?” His Lady asked in the smallest voice he had ever heard. It broke his heart to witness her like this.

 

“I know so,” Adrien said as confidently as possible. “When we get back, we’ll be sure we don’t make the same mistakes.”

 

She gave him a weak smile and shook her head. “I’ve missed you.”

 

Adrien grinned down at her, “I’ve missed you too.”

 

“Are you and Alya alright?”

 

“We’re coping,” Adrien admitted, rubbing his face. “She wants her best friend back and she can’t get over the fact that we are her favourite Superheroes, but you know Alya. She’s fierce when it comes to you.”

 

“Is she angry?”

 

Adrien shook his head, “She was just shocked. Now that its sunk in I think she’s insanely proud and desperate for an interview with us.”

 

“She knows about you too?” Ladybug asked, picking at her super suit and not giving him any eye contact.

 

“I accidently gave it away when we were dealing with your kidnapping,” Adrien muttered, scratching the back of his head. “And you know who I am?”

 

“Yes, and I wasn’t really kidnapped,” she said, still not looking at him. “Just borrowed for a little while.”

 

“He’s done a good job of keeping you hidden from us,” Adrien frowned.

 

Ladybug nodded and finally gazed back at him. She looked extremely nervous. “Are you annoyed that Ladybug turned out to be a silly school girl?”

 

“Are you disappointed that Chat Noir turned out to be a silly school boy?”

 

“Of course not,” Ladybug answered honestly. “A little shocked that it’s _you_ but I could never be disappointed.”

 

“I suppose Chat and Adrien are pretty different,” he admitted with a shrug. “I’ve spent so long wearing two masks, I’m not really sure which is the real me.”

 

“I imagine you’re a bit of both,” Ladybug smiled softly. “When you’re allowed to be.”

 

“Marinette Dupain-Cheng,” Adrien breathed softly, “my Ladybug!”

 

She blushed again and let out an adorable giggle. “you’ll have to stop all that flirting now.”

 

“Never,” Adrien said, with another chuckle. “Knowing your real name isn’t going to change our partnership; even if I do know you without the suit. I can’t give up on my flirting. It’s my signature _Chat_ move.”

 

“Well Kitty,” she said bashfully, “as long as you’re happy to still be partners.”

 

“How could you even ask that?” Adrien replied, rolling his eyes. “We’re the best. I’m not giving it up because a silly identity reveal has happened. It’s not like I haven’t secretly wanted to know for ages!”

 

“True,” Ladybug nodded, contemplating his words thoughtfully.

 

They both fell into a comfortable silence, shooting each other sincere smiles.

 

“Come back soon my Lady,” he whispered warmly. “I don’t like being without you.”

 

“Tomorrow,” she whispered back with bright eyes. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Chaton.”

 

They said gentle goodbyes and the screen went black. Adrien stared at it for a few minutes, trying to memorise the conversation so he could replay it over and over in his head. One thought struck him as he got up and released Plagg; even though he now knew Ladybug was Marinette, he still felt the love and desire that had built over the years of knowing his Lady. Knowing her civilian self hadn’t changed that.

 

If anything, Adrien felt the desire to protect and cherish her even more.

 

~O~

 


	9. Warmth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The teenagers are reunited and Ladybug enjoys some warmth.

Alya took the stairs two at a time as the shouting echoed down the corridors. Adrien leapt ahead of her and gasped as he skidded to a halt in the lobby. The scene before them was like something from a horror movie. The older Adrien was holding an unconscious Ladybug in his arms. Blood poured from cuts all over his body and black and purple orbs twirled around them menacingly.

 

“How could you let this happen?” The older Marinette exclaimed, moving towards the man with an angry scowl. “Do you realise what will happen if she dies?”

 

“Volpina mistook her for you,” he hissed, holding the tiny superhero closer to his chest. “We couldn’t take them all on. I’m not as strong because I’ve been staying away from you and she couldn’t maintain the stamina to fight so many people. They fought dirty expecting her to be a serious threat.”

 

“You should have fought harder,” Marinette snapped, moving to take her younger self from him. He took a step away, refusing to give the girl up.

 

“I promised not to kill anyone,” he admitted, looking down at Little Ladybug sadly. “How was I to know it would fucking backfire?”

 

Marinette laughed cruelly. “ _You promised?_ Have you gone soft now?”

 

Alya took confident steps towards them. “Stop arguing and hand her over. She’s not getting any better with you both snapping at each other.”

 

Adrien paused in his angry pouting to look at Alya and his younger self. “She needs medical attention.”

 

“Which we will give her,” the younger Adrien replied firmly. Fear for his Lady ate at his chest in an uncomfortable manner. She needed help quickly and he wasn’t going to stand around waiting. “Give her to me, now.”

 

The man continued to glare, then shook his head and gently handed Ladybug to Adrien. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”

 

“Send supplies up to our room,” Alya ordered, eyeing Marinette coolly. “You can fix him up and we’ll see to _our_ girl.”

 

She didn’t wait for an answer and promptly span on her heel, to march back up the stairs with Adrien following close behind. The two older versions began sniping at each other as soon as they started walking away. They could still be heard when the teenagers got to their bedroom.

 

“Unbelievable,” Alya snapped, “how can they be so intent on fighting?”

 

“God knows,” Adrien replied, laying Ladybug carefully onto the bed. She had a nasty cut on the side of her head; which was bleeding badly.

 

The supplies appeared a second later and Alya set to work sorting out what they needed.

 

“My Lady,” Adrien uttered softly, “you need to release your transformation so we can check for any damage.”

 

“Tikki,” Plagg hummed, moving into sight above them. “Force a release for us.”

 

Pink light blinded them momentarily and a little red bug whirled above them to join Plagg.

 

“A ladybug,” Alya grinned, watching the Kwami with interest. “How cute are you!”

 

Tikki shrugged and gave them a weak smile. “I’ve managed to stop most of the injuries with my suit but she’s been hit badly on the head and one of the men stabbed her with something. It pierced through the suit slightly.”

 

Adrien swept Marinette’s fringe from her face to examine the cut. It looked painfully deep.

 

“How many were there?” Plagg asked, watching the scene with a frown.

 

“Hundreds,” Tikki replied sadly, moving to sit on Adrien’s shoulder. “We tried to stop them but Volpina was relentless. It was lucky we escaped when we did.”

 

Alya handed the antiseptic wipes to Adrien and began removing Marinette’s shoes and socks. He dutifully wiped away the blood. The injured girl moaned softly but didn’t wake up.

 

“I’ll need you to hold her up so I can take her blazer and shirt off,” Alya replied once he’d cleared her face.

 

Adrien nodded, throwing the bloodied wipes to the floor. “She needs a few stitches, have we got any?”

 

Alya handed him a small packet and held Marinette’s head as he made quick work of the cut. “Have you done this before?”

 

“Hazards of being a Superhero,” he shrugged, “sometimes you’ve gotta patch yourself up. Thankfully our suits protect us from a huge amount.”

 

“Which is why it’s worrying that Marinette was able to be stabbed,” Plagg noted, resting on the bedpost and watching them intently. “They must have used some powerful magic.”

 

Tikki hummed in agreement and nuzzled against Adrien.

 

“Right,” Alya said, wiping shaky hands across her face, “lift her up for me.”

 

Adrien was extremely delicate with her, moving to sit behind Marinette and supporting her back so Alya could peel her dirty clothes off her tiny body. He kept his eyes ahead to allow her some privacy.

 

“Man, that looks angry,” Alya noted, running a wipe over the purpling cut. It was oozing blood and looked extremely sore. She cleaned it up as best as she could.

 

“Let me see if I can heal it,” Tikki muttered, flying down to her charge and admitting a soft pink glow. It warmed Adrien and Alya’s bodies; giving them pleasant goose bumps.

 

“Any better?” Adrien asked hopefully, stroking Marinette’s damp hair. Sweat was dripping from her skin.

 

“Less purple,” Alya admitted, placing a sticky bandage over it and motioning for Adrien to lay her back on the bed. He complied and swiftly got off the bed. Disappearing into the bathroom, the blond came back with a wet flannel. Perching beside the bluenette, Adrien began to wipe her pale skin.

 

“She’s got a bad fever,” Tikki sighed, rubbing her face across the girl’s injured stomach.

 

“We’ll look after her,” Alya replied reassuringly, unbuttoning Marinette’s trousers. “Don’t look cat boy.”

 

Adrien rolled his eyes and faced the wall as Alya pulled the trousers off her friend and threw them to the floor. Marinette moaned again.

 

“It’s okay,” Adrien cooed, taking up his gentle rubbing again. “You’re okay LB.”

 

Alya glanced across her body to check for anything else. Aside from a few bruises, her best friend seemed to have had everything addressed. “Do you think we could get her to take something for the temperature?”

 

“I can keep that in check,” Tikki replied, curling up on Marinette’s shoulder.

 

“Yeah,” Plagg said, moving to lay beside the bug. “I can help too.”

 

Adrien looked impressed but didn’t say anything to the pair. Instead he continued his careful wipe across Marinette’s chest. He was achingly sweet; avoiding any inappropriate touching at all costs.

 

“I think my services here are done,” Alya said with a sad smile. “She’s got everything she needs now.”

 

“You should take the bed to keep an eye on her,” Adrien replied, pausing in his loving caress.

 

“K-Kitty,” Marinette mumbled softly, her head falling to one side. He looked down at her in shocked awe.

 

“I think Marinette has answered that for me,” Alya chuckled. “She wants you beside her tonight.”

 

“I-I don’t think I should whilst she’s half naked,” Adrien stammered, blushing prettily.

 

“Just pull the covers up and try not to grab her tits,” Alya said with a smirk. “I’m sure you’re capable of avoiding those.”

 

Plagg chuckled and Adrien shot him a dirty look. He opened his mouth to say something when Marinette moaned again. She lifted a hand weakly towards Adrien’s warmth.

 

“Give the poor girl what she wants Agreste,” Alya commanded, cleaning up the mess they had made. “I’ll go and let the crazies know she’s alright. You settle in and give her a good nights sleep.”

 

Adrien glanced between her and Marinette, before making up his mind and kicking off his trainers. He pulled the covers up around them and gently settled in beside her. Within seconds, Marinette unconsciously moved towards him and mumble incoherently. Alya chuckled and raised an eyebrow at the blond.

 

“You are soul mates,” she grinned, leaving the flushing boy to awkwardly arrange himself beside the girl he loved.

 

Her best friend had pined over Adrien for years. Yet when it came down to it, his Chat Noir side was what she most craved in her hour of need.

 

 

~O~

 

 

Marinette’s first thought was that she was warm. She was warm and cosy and snuggled against something which smelt delicious. Taking a deep breath, she smiled as her senses were hit with a glorious feeling. Her belly flipped and she moaned happily; giving in to the wonderful scent of _home_. This was where she was meant to be.

 

A deep rumbling reached her ears, causing her to giggle lightly. The rumble mixed perfectly with the warmth and the aroma, in a heady mix of desire and want. Wherever she was, Marinette never wanted to leave it.

 

Ignoring the aches shooting across her body, Marinette moved even closer to the warmth. Her hand found something firm and she gripped it with a sigh. The rumbles died away and something sighed against the top of her head. Marinette frowned, rubbing her face against whatever was beside her.

 

“M’Lady,” it mumbled, against her ear, causing a shiver to run down her neck.

 

Licking her lips, Marinette answered with a groan. Her body responded by pushing itself even closer to the warmth. A hand grabbed her leg and clenched firmly, causing another breathy sound to escape her mouth.

 

“Oh!”

 

Marinette blinked at the sound and slowly opened her eyes. The room span and she moaned for an entirely different reason; gripping at the body next to her so that she didn’t faint.

 

“Are you alright?” Chat Noir’s blissful voice muttered in her ear.

 

“Kitty,” Marinette sighed, shutting her eyes and falling limp. “I feel dizzy.”

 

“It’s okay, just keep your eyes closed and lay back.”

 

Marinette hummed in agreement, letting the warmth enclose her completely. She felt herself turn to mush as a hot breath fanned her cheek, and allowed the darkness to swallow her again.

 

The second time Marinette woke up, it was to quiet voices arguing beside her.

 

“I’ve told you already Plagg, I’m not leaving until she wakes up.”

 

“It’s been two days; you need to do something. They haven’t stopped fighting and it’s driving me mad!”

 

“Just ignore it!”

 

“I can’t, I’m drawn to him because of his Miraculous ring. Whilst you’re up here snuggling your girlfriend I can’t help following him around.”

 

“She’s not my girlfriend and stop following him if it’s such a problem. Stay with me and Tikki.”

 

“I’m bored and hungry. Even Alya has ditched me so that she can spy on them. I have no choice but to follow too.”

 

“Chat?” Marinette frowned, keeping her eyes closed against the intrusive light of the room.

 

“Oh good, Sleeping Beauty awakens.”

 

“Shut it Plagg!”

 

Marinette groaned and proceeded to rub her face against her pillow.

 

“My Lady, how are you feeling?”

 

“Warm,” she sighed, slightly muffled due to the firm pillow beneath her.

 

“Oh, sorry about that. Let me just –”

 

She whined as her pillow moved and the duvet was pulled from under her chin. “No, come back!”

 

Chat chuckled, “Bug, open your eyes for me.”

 

Marinette did as she was told, blinking rapidly and staring at the situation she found herself in. In her haste to bring the pillow back, Marinette had managed to cover Adrien’s body with her own. The pillow was in fact his glorious chest and the duvet had fallen to reveal vast amounts of her own skin.

 

“Hi,” The green eyed cutie said with an embarrassed wave.

 

“Oh my god,” Marinette shrieked, pushing herself off him and falling backwards across the bed. She gazed up at him in a mess of duvet and actual fluffy pillows. Pain shot across her stomach and she winced to cover the purple cut found there. A throbbing head did not help the situation either.

 

“You okay?” Adrien asked, looking down at her with a mixture of concern and embarrassment. “How’s the head? How’s the belly?”

 

“Oh my god,” she repeated, mouth hanging open as she tried to get her brain to work again.

 

“ _Oh my god_ ,” Plagg huffed, “I’m going to find some cheese before you start humping.”

 

“ _Plagg!”_ Tikki hissed, spinning up from her spot on the bed and chasing him across the room. “What is wrong with you?”

 

Marinette watched them float through the door with her mouth still open.

 

“Sorry about him,” Adrien grimaced. “He’s a little shit.”

 

“I – I,” she stuttered, trying and failing to say something back to him.

 

“Do you want me to go and get Alya?” Adrien whispered after a full minute had passed. He had spent the entire time looking anywhere but at her, and she had continued to lay tangled in the bedding with her mouth hanging low.

 

Shaking her head and sitting up, Marinette continued to stare. He was dressed in a rumpled grey t-shirt and baggy black sweatpants. His hair was completely unruly and utterly Chat. Everything about him screamed familiarity, yet Marinette had never been this close to _Adrien_ in her life. Waking up in bed with him was throwing her off the chart.

 

“Do you remember what happened?” The sweet boy tried again, worrying his hands. “You got caught up in a fight with Volpina. You hit your head pretty bad and someone managed to stab you. Alya and I fixed you up. You’ve been out for a couple of days. I’m sorry for scaring you. You kept calling for Chat, so –”

 

He stopped mumbling and caught her eye. His cheeks flushed pink. “I was just trying to help.”

 

“Oh my god,” Marinette breathed again, seeming to come to her senses and jumping out of bed. She somehow managed to tangle herself even further in the duvet. She tripped and stumbled; kicking the damn thing away and running her hands through limp hair. “I – I can’t do it.”

 

Adrien half rose and then thought better of it. He sat up in the bed and watched in fear as she started pacing beside the bed.

 

“I have spent so long b-being a stuttering m-mess around you,” Marinette moaned, placing a hand over her eyes and continuing to wear down the carpet. “I can’t wake up in the same b-bed as you. I just can’t. It’s too much. You’re too much. A-Adrien and Chat can’t be – it’s just not – what do I do?”

 

“Do you want me to get Plagg back and transform?” Adrien said softly, keeping himself as small as possible on the bed. “Would it make things easier if I was Chat?”

 

“Yes,” Marinette sighed, holding her face in her hands. “No. I don’t know!”

 

“Marinette,” he whispered, “I’m s-sorry for sharing the bed. I should have made Alya stay instead.”

 

“It’s not that,” she admitted slowly, bringing herself to face him again. Why was he so wonderful and sweet all the time?

 

“Adrien and Chat,” he nodded, looking away and picking at his crumpled t-shirt. The dejected aura around him pulled at Marinette’s heart. She was hurting him. Her over-reaction was hurting her partner.

 

“Oh,” she whimpered, taking tentative steps back to the blond beauty. “Oh, Adrien!”

 

She carefully sat beside him on the bed. He continued to look down so Marinette lifted a shaking hand and very carefully placed it on his shoulder. Green eyes flickered up to her and she gulped, trying desperately to get her stupid brain to work.

 

“I p-panicked,” she whispered, holding his shoulder. “I panicked because we were in the same b-bed and I had been using you as a p-pillow.”

 

“I’ve been your pillow a thousand times LB,” Adrien frowned. “It can’t be that much scarier when it’s Adrien?”

 

“It really is,” Marinette admitted, biting her lip.

 

“You feel more comfortable around Chat,” Adrien said with a sad smile. “I should have transformed for you so that you actually had him.”

 

Marinette shook her head. “You did everything perfectly.”

 

“Perfectly or _purrfectly_?” He said with a tiny smirk.

 

It seemed to unwind the knot in her stomach because Marinette couldn’t hold back the choked laugh. This silly boy was her Kitty. He was kind and loving and self sacrificing. Marinette could do this. She could treat him as the wonderful partner he was.

 

Without further thought, she jumped at him with a fierce need to love him and care for him at all costs. Without worrying over her embarrassment and his shyness, Marinette flung her arms around his neck and hugged the boy with everything she had.

 

He half sobbed and half laughed, bringing his own arms around her tiny frame and pulling her onto his lap. Marinette wrapped her legs unconsciously around him and sighed against his neck. “Kitty!”

 

“I really am,” Adrien muttered against the top of her head. “I’m me and you’re you. We just need a few days to adjust.”

 

“I’m sorry I woke up and went crazy,” Marinette whispered, gripping his t-shirt and closing her eyes. “I’m such an idiot.”

 

“I think you’ve got a bit of concussion too,” Adrien replied, lightly caressing the sore side of her face. “You got into quite the fight without me.”

 

“Volpina has always hated me,” she huffed, trying to wiggle even closer to him.

 

“Jealous,” Adrien smiled, rubbing her back soothingly. “She wanted me as her partner.”

 

“Not gonna happen!”

 

“Absolutely not,” he laughed, placing a soft kiss on her bare shoulder.

 

“I told you they would be at it,” Plagg huffed, causing the teens to look up in surprise.

 

“Fine, I owe you one wheel,” Alya sighed, making her way into the room and jumping onto the bed with a smirk.

 

“We said two wheels,” Plagg frowned, crossing his little arms and hovering above the rambunctious girl.

 

“A kiss is not a cock,” Alya said, poking the little god in the belly. “I am being generous with the one wheel of cheese. Keep moaning and it’ll be none.”

 

“That’s not how betting works girl,” Plagg argued.

 

“You shouldn’t be betting on them anyway,” Tikki retorted, looking between the two with a disappointed look across her red and black face.

 

“Erm,” Adrien said, clearing his throat.

 

“You look so much better,” Alya grinned, eyeing the pair mischievously.

 

“I feel it,” Marinette admitted, pulling away from Adrien but not moving off him completely.

 

“Must be the hunky cat you’re wrapped around,” Alya said with a wink. “Although I didn’t think you’d be naked so soon after the big reveal.

 

“What are you talking about?” Marinette asked, feeling slightly bemused.

 

Alya waved towards Marinette’s body, causing her to look down and cry out in shock

 

“I’m not wearing any clothes!” She exclaimed, causing Alya to fall over laughing and Adrien to place his hands over his face.

 

“How could you not notice that?” Alya cackled, throwing one of Adrien’s spare t-shirts at her.

 

“Why didn’t you say anything,” Marinette moaned, pushing Adrien away from her and jumping up to whip the t-shirt on. “I’ve been walking round in my underwear!”

 

“You were having your melt down,” Adrien shrugged, blushing bright red. “I didn’t look, I swear!”

 

 _“Adrien!”_ Marinette cried, sitting down on the floor at the base of the bed and covering her head.

 

“Now, stop the silliness,” Alya giggled, leaning over the bed to look at her best friend. “You wear a skin tight Super suit. We know exactly what you’ve got going on. Besides, Adrien has been a complete gentleman the past two days.”

 

“You have?” Marinette whispered, as the blond joined Alya at the bottom of the bed. He nodded shyly.

 

“You’ve been moaning and groaning on him,” Alya smirked, “and the boy has kept his hands completely to himself.”

 

Marinette glowered at the girl from behind her arms. “You are so horrible.”

 

Alya continued to grin. “I’ve seen the way the pair of you grab at each other in your Superhero disguises. I was expecting to come back and find you pregnant!”

 

 _“Alya!”_ Marinette cried in mortification, launching herself up and tackling Alya to the bed in one quick swoop.

 

“Oww!” Alya yelled, trying and failing to push Marinette off. “I know now why you’re freakishly strong.”

 

Adrien laughed beside them as the two girls wrestled and cried out, both attacking each other with everything they had. They stopped after a minute and lay back cuddling affectionately. Marinette lifted a hand and yanked Adrien down with them. He resisted for a second, then nuzzled against her shoulder. Their arms and legs wrapped around each other and Marinette couldn’t help but sigh happily, as a peaceful feeling spread over each of them.

 

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” Marinette whispered into the quiet room.

 

“I get it,” Alya smiled, kissing Marinette’s cheek. “You owe me some sort of interview situation though!”

 

“Deal!”

 

“You should also get the rights for the photos of their first born,” Plagg drawled from above them.

 

“Plagg!” Tikki and Adrien shouted, as Marinette covered her face and Alya burst into another round of laughter.

 

 

~O~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter became seriously fluffy. I wasn't planning on writing it like this but once I started I couldn't seem to stop. I hope you're still enjoying reading!


	10. Sweetness and Spice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette and Adrien continue to bond, whilst Alya witnesses something she probably shouldn't.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter ten and my favourite so far. If you are uncomfortable with scenes of a sexual nature you might want to skip the second half of this!

On the forth day since Marinette’s return, the teenagers had breakfast together in the grand dining room. Adrien had linked arms with the bluenette the entire way down and couldn’t help feeling cheerful as he sat beside her, buttering his toast and chatting with ease. They were getting better and better at conversing like normal human beings. Marinette was stuttering less and he was blushing a little lighter. It would still be some time until they were back to their Chat and Ladybug level of companionship, but Adrien could see progress had been made in just two short days.

 

“Good to see you up and about,” the older Marinette said as she entered the room and sat at her usual spot at the head of the table. She glanced down at the three of them with a small smile. “Friendships are all still intact?”

 

“Of course,” Alya replied confidently. “Unlike you, we haven’t got any problems with each other. Ours is a simple relationship.”

 

“Hmm,” the woman replied with a raised eyebrow. “Give it time.”

 

“We don’t plan to make the same mistakes,” the younger Marinette muttered, glancing down at her food with a careful expression.

 

“Morning all!”

 

Adrien sat up straighter as his future self breezed into the room with confident strides. His chest displayed for the world to see; covered in marks and bandages. Without any consideration he planted himself on the other side of younger Marinette and grinned winningly at her. Adrien felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end and had a hard time swallowing the growl building in his chest.

 

“You’ve forgotten your clothes,” future Marinette frowned, piercing a piece of melon viciously with her fork and pointing it at him. “Your father would be disappointed.”

 

“Fuck my father,” Adrien snorted, loading a plate of various breakfast goodies. “He can rot in hell for all I care.”

 

“Still, you look like shit,” future Marinette continued, ignoring the squirming of the teenagers before her. “Put a shirt on and get yourself together. I’ve got a meeting with some loan sharks. I don’t need you around to scare them off.”

 

“I don’t know why you insist on dealing with the scum of Paris,” the older man sighed, eating a sausage in two large bites. “You have all the money you could need. Why bother with them?”

 

“Not that its any of your business,” she replied, watching him eat with amusement twinkling in her pretty eyes. “But I like to keep all the gangs and corrupt businesses close. It allows me to have eyes everywhere and an unlimited amount of _butterflies_.”

 

“Very resourceful,” the blond noted, eyeing her outfit. “And here I thought you were dressing up all nice for me. Stunning outfit choice, My Love.”

 

Adrien had to admit his older self had a point. Marinette looked _really nice_. Her smart black all in one hugged her form perfectly. The top half was adorned with dark lace and hinted at the flawless skin beneath. Her bare arms glistened enticingly and contrasted perfectly with her long flowing blue locks. The look was all business with a seductive twist.

 

“I shouldn’t need to tell you what a good outfit can do,” she smirked, biting into her melon with the same evocative smirk.

 

“What do you use your _butterflies_ for?” Younger Marinette bristled beside him.

 

“Protection,” the woman shrugged. “And sometimes I need my own little jobs done too.”

 

Adrien’s older self chuckled and patted the smaller girl’s arm comfortingly. “Code for destroying Paris and taking over the world.”

 

Both Marinette’s looked at the hand placed easily on the younger girl. Alya meanwhile cleared her throat, looking warningly at Adrien. Without realising; he’d gripped the table hard.

 

“I thought it was _you_ destroying Paris,” Alya said with a confident smile at his older self. “From what we’ve seen, you’re the one taking over.”

 

“Painting quite a picture I see,” he grinned over at the beautiful woman, letting go of the younger one and resting his hand against the back of her chair. His entire posture was relaxed and carefree.

 

“It hardly needed painting,” Adrien found himself snapping. “The evidence is clear to see. You kill without care and you kidnapped a seventeen year old girl.”

 

His future self waved a hand with a chuckle. “She’s back now. I only borrowed her for a little catch up. Marinette was perfectly safe.”

 

“You bought her back unconscious and bleeding!”

 

Said girl put her hand on his leg comfortingly. “It’s okay, I’m fine.”

 

“Hardly the point though is it,” Alya snorted, looking at the older man with a frown. “Adrien’s right; you seem to be the baddie in this tale.”

 

The blond continued to look unaffected by the conversation. He shrugged and bit into another sausage. “I am what I am.”

 

“He’s not a villain,” younger Marinette muttered, looking between him and Alya. “It’s the powers. They affect him.”

 

“They affect us both,” the older woman agreed. “But Adrien has a nasty habit of messing around with things he shouldn’t.”

 

“I do!” Adrien agreed with his handsome grin. “I mess and I destroy. It’s what I’m programmed to do. It wasn’t such a problem when I was channelling that energy into Chat Noir. No-one worried about my destructive nature when I was meowing all over the place.”

 

“You could control it better then,” the older Marinette smiled. “Now you’re a disaster waiting to happen.”

 

“I love you too,” he drawled, leaning closer to her and attempting a kiss on the cheek. She huffed and pushed his head away with a roll of her eyes.

 

“Go and get dressed,” she sighed, pulling her tablet towards her and flicking through it. “I need you gone within the hour.”

 

“I feel used,” he smirked, pulling at a grape and throwing it into his mouth. “I feel like you don’t actually want me here.”

 

“You thought right,” Marinette replied, not looking up from her device. “Now that your silliness with my younger self has been resolved, I have some time travel issues to address. I don’t need you hanging around hindering me.”

 

“I hear the Brits once had some wonderful books locked up at Oxford university,” Adrien replied innocently, eating another grape. “Apparently, they had at least two books detailing how to open portals and send people through them.”

 

“Did they now,” Marinette said, looking at him with a frown. “And you would know which books they were and where to find them now?”

 

The older man’s smile stretched even further across his face. “I _might_ know which books and where they _could_ be located.”

 

“If I ask for your help,” Marinette sighed, “will I get it?”

 

Adrien shrugged, “I’ll think about it. In the meantime, don’t do anything stupid with the kiddies and stay away from Fu.”

 

Marinette rolled her eyes again. “Don’t worry, I don’t plan to bother him again. He’s made it pretty clear I’m on the death list. I wouldn’t mind getting hold of that fox though.”

 

“Leave her to me,” the older man grinned. “I’ll find her within a day.”

 

“I always thought she’d do anything for you,” the bluenette snorted. “I can’t believe she actually attacked you.”

 

“She hates me,” younger Marinette breathed, touching her head with a grimace. “Really, really hates me.”

 

“Well, you get everything she wants!” Adrien laughed, gesturing to himself.

 

“Don’t start that,” younger Marinette blushed, unconsciously moving away from him and towards the younger blond.

 

“Get out of here Chaton,” older Marinette drawled, “come back if you feel like helping, otherwise I don’t want to see you.”

 

“Don’t drink any whiskey whilst I’m gone,” the man said, turning his attention to the younger girl with his trademark smile. “We both know it makes you touchy feely.”

 

Marinette flushed a deep red and looked at her hands with feigned interest.

 

“And stay away from Little Adrien’s underwear draw.”

 

She squeaked and gave him a hard shove. Alya raised her eyebrows to the heavens and glanced between the pair and the younger Adrien with growing concern.

 

“I don’t want to know,” older Marinette said, shaking her head. “You better not have done anything reckless during your week together.” 

 

“You remember what you were like,” Adrien laughed, clearly enjoying the way he’d made the younger girl blush. “Thieving has always been a terrible vice of yours.”

 

Alya snorted her recognition of this fact and younger Marinette spluttered.

 

“Goodbye Adrien,” Older Marinette sighed, rubbing her eyes.

 

“Goodbye Bugs,” he laughed, kissing a fidgeting little Marinette on the cheek and standing up. “If you need me or change your mind about anything, just call.”

 

He moved around the table and caught the future version’s cheek in the same manner. Completely ignoring the other teens, the tall man disappeared in a flurry of orbs.

 

“What the actual fuck Mari?” Alya cried as soon as he’d gone.

 

“It’s not what it sounds like,” Marinette hissed across the table. “I had nothing to wear so I borrowed his clothes. I had spent days in the same filthy things. I’d just seen the remains of my parent’s bakery. I was sad and cold, and unbelievably gross. In normal circumstances I wouldn’t have drunk the alcohol or put on his stupid clothes!”

 

She stood up with a start and took a shuddering breath. “I just wanted to come back to the pair of you. I – I didn’t do anything.”

 

With that, she up and left too. Without a glance at any of them, Marinette ran from the room and left complete silence in her place.  

 

“Well,” future Marinette muttered after a few minutes of awkwardness. “That went well.”

 

“I’m gonna check on her,” Adrien sighed, standing and excusing himself with a small nod.

 

Without much thought, he managed to locate her with a natural ease. Adrien put it down to their powerful bond as Ladybug and Chat Noir; having taken only a small amount of time to find the girl. She had managed to find the grand piano in the room which was once Adrien’s music classroom. Hunched up on the seat, Marinette was gently pressing the dusty keys as tears streamed down her cheeks.

 

“Do you know how to play?” Adrien asked softly, coming to sit beside her on the bench.

 

She shook her head and dropped her delicate fingers with a small exhale. “I didn’t do anything with him.”

 

“I know that,” Adrien replied truthfully. “But I also know that there is a connection there –”

 

Marinette opened her mouth to argue, but he stopped her with a careful pat on the back. “I don’t mean you’re madly in love with him or anything. I just know that I feel the same with your older version. I can’t help liking her because she’s you. I see the bad in her but I look and I also see everything we’ve done together.”

 

She nodded, glancing at him with tear soaked eyes. “I didn’t go through his underwear draw.”

 

Adrien chuckled, letting his hand drop from her back. “He’s just a wind-up. I think he likes getting reactions from people.”

 

“Do you think I’m overreacting by getting upset?” She asked quietly, looking at the grubby keys again and pressing them to make a little noise. “I can’t seem to stop the crying and I hate it. I’ve never been a big crier.”

 

“You’re emotional because of the situation we’ve found ourselves in,” Adrien replied earnestly. “You have every right to cry.”

 

She rubbed her eyes clumsily. “I wish you would stop saying perfect things Kitty.”

 

Laughter fell happily from his lips. “I usually say the wrong things.”

 

Marinette shook her head and gave a small smile. “Chat Noir makes a habit of saying the right things when I need it, and I know Adrien Agreste has been raised to know exactly which perfect phrase should be said. You _always_ know what to say.”

 

He blushed and rubbed his neck. “That’s good to know.”

 

“I never learnt an instrument,” she said, changing the subject for him. “I always wanted to but never seemed to have the time.”

 

“Understandable,” Adrien nodded, turning to the old piano and flexing long fingers experimentally. “I didn’t really have a choice. Once I’d learnt how to read music though, it became less of a chore and something I actually enjoyed.”

 

“Do you play often?” Marinette asked, dropping her knees and sitting up straighter. Tikki had appeared from her pocket and moved to sit above them, on the piano.

 

“I love anything classical,” the little goddess hummed, looking at Adrien with big blue eyes. “Could you play for me?”

 

Adrien nodded, as Plagg went to join the Kwami. Marinette watched the pair with a small smile.

 

“You’re so wonderful,” she whispered, moving her hand to stroke the black cat. “Look at your little ears and tail. I haven’t had a chance to really look at you yet, but I wish I had. You’re so perfect.”

 

Plagg glowed with the praise, puffing his chest up and moving closer to the enamoured girl. “I’m the best Kwami out of the bunch.”

 

Tikki rolled her eyes, “more like grumpiest.”

 

“And laziest,” Adrien laughed, watching the two with a strange feeling in his chest. Seeing Marinette coo and touch Plagg felt extremely personal, and inexplicably lovely. The knowledge that Ladybug liked his Kwami and wanted to give the god her attention was intoxicating.

 

“Adrien?” Tikki whispered, pulling his eyes away dazedly. She smiled knowingly. “Did you want to play something?”

 

He nodded numbly, looking down at the keys as his face heated up again. Careful to not glance at his Lady again, Adrien began to play. Soothing sounds filled the room and created a little haven for the four of them. It was effortless and extremely easy for Adrien to shut his eyes and let go. He played with everything he had inside him and allowed the old piano to soothe his body into a calmness that eased every bone in Adrien’s body. When he was done, Adrien looked up to find Tikki and Plagg smiling happily down at him.

 

“Kid, that was beautiful,” Plagg said, glancing at Tikki who nodded excitedly.

 

“Perfect!” She giggled, whizzing up in the air and urging Plagg to follow.

 

“You play so well,” Marinette said breathlessly beside him.

 

“Do you think so?” Adrien replied, looking over at her flushed cheeks and glittering eyes in wonder.

 

“Yes,” she whispered, shining with pride. “What’s the song called? I’ve never heard it before.”

 

“Ballade No. 4 in F minor,” Adrien smiled, “by Chopin. I really like all of his compositions.”

 

Marinette placed her hands where his had just been and pressed down experimentally. “It looks so natural when you do it.”

 

He laughed, “I’ve been learning since the age of five. My Mother loved music and could sing and play a variety of different instruments. She started me early and my Father became obsessed with it when she disappeared. I have four lessons a week, so my fingers do it without me even thinking about the notes anymore.”

 

“You play like a pro,” Marinette replied, touching down on the keys again. She applied more pressure and giggled when the noise bounced off the walls in a terrible imitation of Adrien’s own version.

 

“Come here,” he chuckled, gently placing his larger fingers under her own. “Watch what I do.”

 

He played the first minute of the song with their hands joined. “Really stretch those little hands.”

 

Adrien glanced over to the bluenette, and halted abruptly when he realised she wasn’t paying any attention to their piano playing at all. Instead Marinette was gazing up at him with a mixture of awe and adoration. No-one in his life had ever given him a look so charged with feeling.

 

“Keep going,” she murmured, never taking her eyes away from his face.

 

“Little Ladybug,” he sighed happily. “I think you’re going to cause me a lot of trouble in our civilian lives.”

 

“How so?” Marinette asked, with a giddy smile. He began to play again and she continued to watch his face.

 

“I get the feeling,” Adrien whispered conspiringly, “I’m going to spend many years seeking that look from you, _Marinette_.”

 

The girl shook her head and nudged him, “play for me and this look will never leave my face _Adrien_.”

 

 

~O~

 

 

Alya regretted skipping dinner and heading to the Agreste library. She’d found nothing on time travel and was now absolutely starving. Her belly had rumbled ten times in the past five minutes and her desire to eat was far outweighing the desire to sleep. She lay looking up at the ceiling, from her spot on the bed, and wondered whether a little jaunt to the kitchen was worth her time.

 

The eleventh rumble was enough to make her think so. It might be past midnight, but her body needed food. With the decision made, Alya quietly climbed out of bed, so as not to wake Marinette, and crept across the room. She smirked, as she passed a sprawled out Adrien on the sofa, and carefully opened the door. The blond boy had been given access to his old room but had insisted on staying with the girls. Alya couldn't blame him. The manor was extremely cold and lonely when one was left on their own. Having him around also felt comforting and Alya knew Marinette positively glowed having him near.

 

It didn’t take long to get to the kitchens and Alya happily munched her way through an assortment of cold dishes. She was particularly enjoying a bowl of fancy pasta when a noise from down the hall drifted towards her. Making a quick decision to hide, Alya flung herself and the pasta through a door into the pantry. She kept it ajar so that she could still see what was about to unfold. Her instincts buzzed with anticipation of _something._

 

Within seconds, the kitchen door flew open and in walked the future versions of Marinette and Adrien.

 

“I’ve told you,” Marinette snapped, coming to the kitchen cupboards and opening them.  She was dressed in a beautiful pink satin nightgown, whilst the blond stood tall in dark jeans and a black rip effect t-shirt. “I don’t think it’s a good idea at the moment. There’s too much going on.”

 

“I just need a little boost,” Adrien replied, as the attractive woman pulled a large bottle of vodka from a shelf and slammed a glass onto the counter. “Nothing fancy.”

 

“Wow, you really know how to sell it!” Marinette huffed, pouring herself a large measure of the alcohol and downing it in one.

 

“It’s not like I want to do it,” he continued, as she poured another shot and threw it back with practised ease. “I hate that this is the only way we can charge our magic. It’s wrong on a hundred different levels.”

 

“Yet here you are,” she noted drily, turning to face him for the first time since they had entered the room.

 

“It’s not like we haven’t done this before,” Adrien said, folding his arms. “You’ve had no problems when _you_ needed the extra power. In fact, you usually jump at the chance to strengthen up.”

 

“Things are different now,” Marinette said softly. “Seeing our younger selves has reminded me how terrible all of this is. I don’t want to do it for a _boost_. I don’t want to just be a means to an end.”

 

“You’ve never been a means to an end,” Adrien sighed, moving closer to her and placing his hands on either side of the counter, effectively blocking Marinette in. Alya held her breath in fixated fear.

 

“You want to kill me half the time,” Marinette uttered, just as softly. “We have spent the last three years hurting each other in a variety of awful ways. I don’t want to wake up tomorrow with you trying to strangle me.”

 

Adrien chuckled and sent a hand tenderly up her arm. “I’ve never woken up with the urge to strangle you, Bug. I can cope with Nooroo’s magic far better than you.”

 

“I can’t help it,” Marinette admitted, as the blond placed a delicate kiss on her bare shoulder. “I like having the magic. I like the feeling of absolute power. I _really_ like the energy Nooroo gives me.”

 

“Don’t I know it Bugaboo,” Adrien breathed against her skin. “Chat Noir prepared me far better than Ladybug could prepare you for the negative energy currently running amok.”

 

“I won’t give it up,” she muttered, letting her head fall back and giving Adrien full access to her neck. He didn’t hesitate to lean in and claim it with his lips. “I won’t let anyone take it from me.”

 

“Are you going to let me fuck you?”

 

“Maybe,” Marinette groaned, as he sunk his teeth into her pale throat. “Are you going to use the power boost to attack me in a few days?”

 

“I wasn’t planning on it,” Adrien mumbled quietly, pushing himself against her and bringing his hand up to cradle her neck. “I think we should hold off on the fighting. I don’t want to hurt the little ones.”

 

“I can never remember why we constantly feel the need to fight anyway,” Marinette sighed, gripping his t-shirt as he kissed along her jaw. “We should stop.”

 

“We should,” Adrien agreed, sending a hand to travel up her leg. She hummed in delight as he continued to lavish her face with open mouthed kisses. “Let me fuck you instead.”

 

“I don’t want to be fucked,” she admitted, nipping at his chin.

 

“Should I try making love to you?”

 

“You could try,” Marinette sighed, pushing him away and walking towards the kitchen table. She spun around so that her back was to him and began to slide her small knickers down her lithe legs. “Let’s get this over with.”

 

Adrien made his way over to her and placed a firm hand on Marinette’s hip. “I can love you. It’s actually incredibly easy to love you. Even when I have the desire to choke the life out of you; the love is what stops me.”

 

“Is that supposed to be romantic?” Marinette asked, glancing over her shoulder at him as she leaned across the wooden table.

 

“It’s the truth,” Adrien replied, pulling her back up and causing a huff to escape her lips. “I’ve loved you for a very long time and I will continue to do so until the day I die. You would know that, if you opened your pretty little eyes.”

 

“You have a funny way of showing it,” Marinette said, glaring up at him as he spun her back around. “You killed my parents, you killed Alya and Nino, you even killed your own parents. You don’t _love_.”

 

“That’s hardly fair,” Adrien frowned, cupping her face with his hands. “ _We_ killed them. _We_ let Hawk Moth’s darkness consume us and _we_ dealt with it in the stupidest way possible.”

 

“Do you really want to argue about this?” Marinette snapped, pushing his hands away and twisting her body around again. She bent over the table, lifting her arse enticingly. “Just do what you came here to do.”

 

“Not like that,” Adrien muttered, pulling her back to face him. “I’m not going to fuck you. You don’t want to be fucked.”

 

“You want to look at my face?” Marinette said with a raise of an eyebrow. “You actually want to see me?”

 

“Yes,” he breathed, gently lifting her onto the table. “I’m going to prove to you that the love is still there.”

 

Marinette blinked at him, watching as he planted warm kisses against her legs. “Is this some sort of trick?”

 

Adrien chuckled against her inner thigh. “No tricks, just relax.”

 

She continued to watch him with a careful expression. He didn’t waste time in acquainting himself with the sensitive skin on her thighs. Marinette’s eyes flickered shut as he dragged his tongue over her and gripped her petite arse.

 

Alya watched in morbid fascination as Adrien’s hand travelled under the silky gown. She cringed as a groan echoed across the room and felt wholly unprepared for the scene unfolding in front of her. It was one thing to joke about her friends having sex, but to actually watch it take place felt disrespectful. She knew she couldn’t leave without being spotted though, and Alya did not want to know the repercussions of being caught. Instead, she tried to calm her racing heart and kept as quiet as possible.

 

Marinette on the other hand moaned loudly. Adrien moved up to suck at her shoulders and neck with a sensual ease. She pushed his t-shirt up his bruised and bandaged body. He helpfully pulled the offending garment off in one quick sweep. Latching straight back on to her glorious skin, Adrien let his hands wander under her nightdress once more. Marinette hummed as his fingers began to play.

 

“I am s-so glad,” she whimpered, clawing at his belt and undoing it clumsily, “you learnt to play t-the piano.”

 

Adrien laughed, kissing along her jaw again. “I’m glad you approve.”

 

Marinette’s eyes fluttered shut as he found her sweet spot. Her hands fell from his clothes and instead bracketed herself against the table. Leaning back slightly, she groaned in pleasure.

 

“Look at me,” Adrien whispered, continuing his ministrations. “Bug, open your eyes for me.”

 

She blinked rapidly up at the handsome man, biting her lip and allowing her blush to travel down her neck. Every part of her responded to him in a delightfully easy way. Without breaking their contact, Adrien pushed Marinette’s legs even further open and moved closer. One hand continued its exploration of her most sensitive area, whilst the other gripped her neck. He guided her up, kissing each cheek, before devouring her mouth with his own.

 

Marinette pressed her body into him and wrapped her arms around his neck. They kissed as if they each needed the other to survive. Hot, wet, open mouthed kisses; which sent both into a frenzy of moans. Adrien eventually stopped his delicate caress of her and instead helped the bluenette to undress him. His jeans and boxers quickly landed on the floor. Marinette’s pink gown soon followed.

 

They wasted no time in coming together; running hands along the naked expanses of skin. Their breathing became heavier and the room buzzed with their yearning. Marinette continued to keep her eyes on the blond. She gave a shuddering gasp when he entered her. Emerald and sapphire gazed heatedly at each other, neither moving as they adjusted to the blissful feeling of being complete.

 

“Please,” Marinette hummed, never losing eye contact. “Show me you love me.”

 

She sounded nothing like the over-confident woman Alya had been dealing with for the past few weeks. Her voice was gentle and sweet. Her words an echo of someone from the past.

 

“With pleasure,” Adrien purred, resting his forehead against hers and moving achingly slowly. They both inhaled deeply as the sensations of love making took over.  Mumbled words were uttered against warm skin. Kisses and tongues caressed in a heady mix of want and need. The entire act was mesmerizingly beautiful to watch. It was clear to see they were made for each other.

 

The pair moved with a breath-taking synchronicity. Both giving and taking in equal measure. Marinette fell back onto the table; taking Adrien with her and crying out as he sunk deeper into her hot embrace.

 

“L-let’s not fight,” she panted, as the man on top of her sped up. “L-let’s just do t-this.”

 

“C-couldn’t agree m-more,” He moaned, heading towards the addictive release of orgasm.

 

They worked together to bring the other to the dizzying heights of their love making. Marinette’s legs elegantly wrapped around the man above her, pushing him even closer and panting with flushed desire.

 

“L-look at me,” Marinette said softly, repeating his words from earlier. Adrien glanced down with an easy smile and sent her over the edge. She came hard, and within seconds, he followed.

 

Both glowed an enchanting purple as the aftershocks rocked through their body. The magic glistening off their bodies felt formidable and utterly thrilling. They had certainly managed to recharge themselves, and the room pulsed with their energy.

 

“You made love to me,” Marinette whispered, running a hand through his hair, as they both caught their breaths.

 

“I told you I could,” Adrien chuckled, lifting himself up on elbows and kissing an erect nipple with barely contained joy.

 

“We should do it again,” she said sitting up and cupping his face happily. “Stay here tonight.”

 

He nodded, straightening up and pulling out of her. “I would like that.”

 

They gathered up their clothes, grinning like school kids, and left with a flourish of black and purple.

 

Alya let out the breath she’d been holding and got shakily to her feet. What a fucking roller-coaster of emotions. She’d just witnessed the most sinfully stunning act of her two friends actually having sex. Part of her wanted to jump up and down; cheering and singing from the rooftops. The other wanted to bury her head and never mention this ever again.

 

Making her way out of the kitchen, Alya slowly walked back to her room in a daze.

 

Regardless of anything else; she’d be avoiding all eye contact tomorrow morning.

 

 

~O~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the first time the pair have made love in years. Usually they have quick, rough sex. Neither has tried to treat the other with the respect their younger selves would. Marinette has always blamed Adrien for the death of those she loves. Unlike him, she’s struggled to see what the powers have done to them. Her love for him is still there but she has a hard time identifying it unless Adrien forces it out of her. Instead, she relies on her darker emotions and generally starts their fights. He craves her attention and will pick and poke until he gets a reaction. Adrien also struggles with the concept of the type of sex they have. He always leaves Marinette feeling disgusting. They are bad news for each other but desperately need the other for emotional and magical boosts. The relationship is extremely unhealthy and in no way similar to the relationship their younger selves are beginning to create with each other.
> 
> Future Marinette is being ruled by her powers as she’s had no prior experience with negative magic. Future Adrien has a handle on his; due to his ability to withstand bad luck/destruction. It has taken him a while to get his thoughts together, but summoning the younger Ladybug was a reaction to his desire for change. He knows they can’t continue like this. 
> 
> Also, in case anyone was curious: Frederic Chopin (1810-1849) was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist of French-Polish parentage. He is considered one of the great masters of Romantic music. Perfect for younger Adrien and Marinette.


	11. Addiction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Future Marinette's powers are hard to control after her boost. The time travelling Marinette and Adrien continue to grow closer.

It took six weeks of them being in this fucked up future, for Marinette to truly see how dangerous and unstable Hawk Moth’s power actually was. It began slowly, on a lazy Sunday and without any fanfare. Hundreds of delicate white butterflies started to take over the Agreste manor. A few flying in at breakfast and a hundred more trickling in throughout the day. By lunch, the lobby and lower levels of the house were covered. An infestation which flapped a menacing tune and left the teenagers with an uneasy feeling.

 

Future Marinette was nowhere to be seen. Nathalie shrugged her shoulders and dismissed their questions. The house was eerily empty save for the fluttering creatures covering the walls. By half past four, Alya had had enough.

 

“Let’s go and find her,” she said with her usual confident attitude. “I’m sick of this.”

 

They searched every room in the imposing mansion, until they came across the older Marinette in a small attic room. She was hunched up on the floor, sobbing her heart out and emitting a soft pink glow.

 

“What happened?” Adrien asked, kneeling in front of the distort woman.

 

Marinette ignored her surroundings and followed the blond, bending down so that she could reach out to her future self. “We want to help you.”

 

The woman snorted and shook her head. “Go away.”

 

“Well, that’s a stupid suggestion,” Alya frowned, crossing her arms. “You are a mess and the house is being overtaken by fucking butterflies.”

 

Older Marinette lifted her head and glanced over each of them slowly. She looked sickly and a far cry from the self assured beauty they had come to know. Everything about her seemed small and unhealthy. She clutched her hands painfully tight and continued to weep.

 

“Did you use your magic?” Adrien said, reaching out to gently push her hair from out her face.

 

“More like it is using me,” the bluenette whispered, holding her hands up for them to see.

 

Marinette shrunk back slightly, watching as black seeped from her palms. It twisted around her wrists and began to travel up the older woman’s arms. Like a poisonous gas, it clung to her wan skin and refused to let go.

 

“What’s happening to you?” Marinette whispered, in horror.

 

“I can’t stop it,” her older self whimpered. “It’ll take hold by nightfall and then I won’t be in control any more.”

 

“Is this what happens when you’ve had a _boost_?” Alya said, continuing to frown.

 

“A boost?” Adrien asked, looking between the teen and the woman on the ground.

 

“Sometimes,” she admitted, blushing slightly. “How did you –”

 

“I saw you in the kitchen a few weeks ago,” Alya replied, waving off Adrien and Marinette’s questioning glances. “And I saw you both sneaking around the entire week after. Why would you do that to yourselves?”

 

“It doesn’t always create such a power surge,” future Marinette admitted, closing her eyes against an onslaught of pain. “It’s been months since I’ve felt anything like this.”

 

“Will your Adrien be going through the same thing?” Alya asked, picking up the phone which had been lying on the bedside table.

 

“Maybe,” she muttered, as the darkness crawled along her shoulders and across her chest. She sat in another tiny nightgown but most of her skin was now covered in the pulsating black magic. “Although he usually comes straight to me. We fight. We let off the magical energy and then go our separate ways.”

 

“I’m gonna ring him,” Alya said, flicking through the phone.

 

“Please don’t,” future Marinette whispered. “We killed Nino last time. It’ll only make things worse. I’ll react to him and most definitely lose any control I currently have of my powers. I can’t risk hurting you. I need to leave the city and let it all out on my own.”

 

Alya paused in her dialling. “Why on Earth do you like having this magic so much? It just causes you so much pain and devastation.”

 

Future Marinette shrugged, “it’s addictive I suppose. A drug that I can’t get enough of. But you wouldn’t understand that. How could you?”

 

“Maybe we can’t but we need to get someone here to help you at least,” Adrien said, using his gentlest voice. “You can’t go anywhere like this without some help.”

 

“Chloe,” Marinette sighed, looking up at the butterfly which had just entered the room. “Call Chloe for me.”

 

Alya quickly set about ringing the blonde brat and explained the situation. Marinette took the opportunity to look around the room whilst they waited. Compared to the rest of the house, the room was sparse. It held a simple double bed, a side table and a small chest. A familiar little cat plush sat on top of the table, as well as two pictures. The first was of her smiling parents and the second showed the teenaged Marinette, Alya, Nino and Adrien laughing and waving.

 

“This is your room,” Marinette noted, running her hand over the black plush. It had lost an eye at some point. “This is where you sleep?”

 

Her future self nodded, as a small shudder ran across her body.

 

“But this is an old servant room,” Adrien said with a confused look around the tiny space. “No one has ever bothered with this part of the house.”

 

“This isn’t my home,” the woman replied softly. “I only stay here because I have nowhere else to go. The other rooms were designed and decorated by the Agrestes. I have no place staying in them.” 

 

“Where do you keep all your gorgeous clothes?” Marinette asked, understanding the logic behind her desire to sleep here.

 

“The next room,” she said as more shivers passed through her. “I still love fashion.”

 

“Although, a very different style now!” Alya said, placing the phone back on the table and picking up the photographs.

 

“I’m a very different person,” future Marinette sighed, blinking her pretty eyes warily. The darkness had successfully covered her body and was now creeping up her face. It licked against her chin and cheeks seductively.

 

“How long before you go boom?” Alya asked as more fluttering butterflies crept along the walls.

 

“An hour or so,” the older woman heaved as more shaking overtook her body. “I’ll get Chloe to take me somewhere with room to blow.”

 

It didn’t take long for the overbearing blonde to arrive. She flounced into the room and handed baby Freddie to the younger Marinette without a second glance. She fell to her knees and took hold of the older versions cheeks.

 

“Oh, you’re such a bloody idiot!” Chloe fumed. “I told you to stay away from him with the time travelling kids here.”

 

Freddie nuzzled against Marinette demanding her attention. She held him somewhat awkwardly and grimaced when Adrien caught her eye. Marinette had absolutely no experience with toddlers. Freddie didn’t seem to mind and instead giggled against her.

 

“I suppose you need me to take you to a field somewhere?” Chloe continued, pushing Marinette’s sweaty fringe from her face. A zap of electricity pinged in a threatening manner against the blonde’s hand. She hissed and pulled herself away from the shivering mess of a woman with a frown. “Why didn’t you call me sooner?”

 

“I thought I-I could handle it,” Marinette whimpered, clenching her hands as the orbs throbbed around her. “It’s really strong today.”

 

“Over exposure to your other half?”

 

Alya snorted, causing everyone to stare at her. She shrugged, “she’s seen _a lot_ of him lately.”

 

Chloe tutted, “you only have yourself to blame then.”

 

“Yeah, yeah,” Marinette shivered violently. “We can talk about my failings on the drive out of the city.”

 

Chloe and Adrien helped her get up. She leaned heavily on both of them as the entire group left the little room and slowly walked down the three flights of stairs. Marinette continued to hold Freddie and Alya lead the way by scaring off the butterflies in their path.

 

Nathalie met them in the lobby with a large overnight bag. “I’ve packed a few things for you Miss Dupain-Cheng.”

 

“Thank y-you,” future Marinette mumbled, moving to take the bag and freezing.

 

Chloe seemed to realise what was happening first because she took three steps away from Marinette and pulled the teens with her. Nathalie dropped the bag to the floor and pressed herself against the closest wall. They all stood in silence; watching as Chat Noir stood before them with a predatory look across his handsome face.

 

The older Marinette moaned, placing a shaking hand against her hands.

 

“You don’t look so good Bug,” he said, never taking his eyes off her.

 

“Go away,” she warned, holding her blackened hands up and shaking her head. “I can’t stop it.”

 

“I know you can’t,” Chat replied simply, taking a step towards her. “So let’s get this out of the way.”

 

“I don’t want to fight,” Marinette admitted, moving herself into a defensive stance. “Especially not in front of them.”

 

She nodded towards the teens, causing Chat to look over at them for the first time.

 

“Suit up and we’ll get out of here,” he said, sending a little wave to Freddie.

 

Marinette sighed, before stretching her back and clicking her neck. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”

 

“Why must you be so stubborn all the time?” Chat sighed, taking steps towards her. She in turn allowed her body to be enclosed in a costume similar in style to her Ladybug suit. The key differences being that it was pure black with a purple seam around her armpits and breasts. Marinette even had her yo-yo still. Worryingly, she also had a knife strapped to her thigh.

 

“Don’t be stupid about this Adrien,” Chloe drawled from the staircase. “Leave her be and let me take her somewhere safe.”

 

“You’ll last five minutes in a car with her,” he said pleasantly, as if discussing the weather. “Come on LB, I’m not going to do anything. We said no more fighting.”

 

“Yet here you are,” Marinette groaned, giving off a frightening amount of sparks. “Suited up and ready to attack.”

 

“I’m not attacking,” Chat replied, calmly walking towards her with his palms raised in a non threatening manner.

 

Marinette growled as he got nearer and in a split second made her decision. Chat seemed to realise exactly what was about to happen because he threw a powerful wall up to protect everyone around him. With a deafening boom, Marinette made the room tremble from her pulsating energy. She sent a roundhouse kick to the beautiful man’s chest, causing him to stagger backwards. He gripped her leg as she sent another hard hit towards him.

 

“Stop,” he cried, energy beginning to bounce of his own body. “Not here!”

 

The butterflies whirled around them in an excited swarm. With a hard pull, Chat brought Marinette down to the floor. She snarled, as he swooped down and took a firm hold of her arm. With a passing glance towards the staircase, they left in a haze of black and purple. The barrier instantly popped, diminishing along with every single butterfly. With the flapping gone, the manor felt deathly silent.

 

Chloe broke it with a whispered curse. She took Freddie from younger Marinette and stomped back down the stairs. “Nathalie get me a computer or something so we can monitor the news.”

 

Nathalie nodded, motioning for them to set up in the drawing room.

 

“I’ll go and get mine too,” Alya sighed.

 

Within minutes they had set up three laptops and two televisions, scanning for news of anything out of the ordinary. Both Chloe and Nathalie seemed to be old pros at it.

 

“How often does this happen?” Adrien asked, scanning each news channel.

 

“Three or four times a year,” Nathalie said, looking towards Chloe for confirmation.

 

The blonde nodded, “Although in the earlier days it seemed to be every other week.”

 

“Miss Dupain-Cheng has less control,” Nathalie admitted, scanning a website with no luck. “Generally the worst fights occur when she is the perpetrator. Adrien tries to avoid actual attacks nowadays.”

 

“But he loves sending her over the edge,” Chloe scoffed. “If he left her alone, she’d be able to reign it in a bit.”

 

“What do you mean?” Marinette frowned. It looked to her as if it was her future self who was causing all the problems.

 

“You haven’t noticed?” Chloe laughed nastily. “You’ve been here weeks. Surely you’ve spotted his little visits?”

 

Marinette shook her head, glancing between Adrien and Alya to see if they understood what Chloe was going on about. Adrien looked blank but Alya squirmed uncomfortably.

 

“They have sex,” the curvaceous girl replied. “Like, all the time.”

 

“Way to regularly,” Chloe nodded. “They don’t leave each other alone. It messes with their powers and sends them loopy. It’s a monthly occurrence.”

 

“More like daily,” Alya muttered. “At least, for the past two weeks.”

 

Chloe frowned, “that’s odd. I’ve never known them to be that reckless. Monthly is more their style. I wonder what’s changed.”

 

Nathalie and Alya both looked up at Marinette as one.

 

“What?” She huffed, glowing red. “I haven’t got anything to do with it.”

 

“Maybe not,” Chloe agreed, bouncing her boy on her lap. “But something is definitely going on here. You spent a week with Adrien. What did he say to you?”

 

Marinette shrugged, “not a lot. He wanted me to see how bad it was here. He says he wants to fix things.”

 

“Fix things,” Chloe said with a roll of her eyes. “Bit late for all that.”

 

Marinette looked away. She really didn’t want to go into further detail, but the look Adrien sent her hinted at his knowledge of her withholding something. With a twerk of her eyebrow, Marinette sent him a small smile to try and soothe any worries he had. The beautiful boy just shook his head and continued to channel surf.

 

“So,” Alya interrupted, “what’s the worst case scenario here?”

 

“Well death,” Chloe replied, as if that was pretty obvious. “Death and loss of buildings.”

 

“How many people have died during their showdowns?” Alya asked, pounding through website after website.

 

“Hundreds of civilians,” Nathalie admitted when Chloe didn’t reply straight away.

 

“Such as?”

 

Chloe sighed dramatically. “You want details don’t you?”

 

Alya nodded as Marinette and Adrien both firmly said no.

 

“The Dupain-Chengs were the first,” Nathalie said carefully, ignoring Marinette’s nauseous expression. “An explosion killed them and the majority of people in the bakery’s surrounding buildings.”

 

“Then Adrien ripped his Father’s throat out,” Chloe replied, seeming to give up on sparing them the details.

 

Nathalie cleared her own throat, as the younger Adrien paused in his use of the remote control to look over at them.

 

“After that,” Chloe continued, “he left the manor and Marinette took over. She tried some damage control as Adrien went off the rails a little bit. She wrangled the police force and basically took over the city to stop him from going to prison.”

 

“Mrs. Agreste was back on the scene too,” Nathalie said, going back to her laptop. “We lived here for a few months and nothing terrible happened.”

 

“Until Marinette got really sick.”

 

Nathalie nodded, “Adrien came back for her and they seemed to get better together.”

 

“Sounds ominous,” Alya muttered. All three teenagers had stopped to listen. Even little Freddie seemed to be taking in the conversation with a serious look on his chubby face.

 

“At Christmas that first year,” Chloe began, with a sad shake of her head, “Adrien’s Mother seemed to catch whatever had been ransacking Marinette’s body.”

 

“It was a virus from Hawk Moth’s damaged butterflies,” Nathalie persisted. “It killed Mrs. Agreste within the week. She had no way of fighting it.”

 

“It was the tipping point for Adrien and he literally exploded in rage,” Chloe sighed, kissing Freddie’s head lovingly.

 

“And in pain,” Nathalie admitted. “No one could stop him.”

 

“Alya was killed in her attempt to calm the situation. She was crushed under a falling building beam.”

 

“I was?” Alya said quietly.

 

“Marinette flew into a fit of rage,” Chloe noted despondently. “They fought on and off for months and did the most damage to Paris during that time.”

 

“Adrien’s driver was next,” Nathalie replied, “along with a few of his ex classmates.”

 

“The Gorilla?” Adrien frowned.

 

“Rose, Kim, Max and then Alix,” Chloe continued, listing them with her fingers. “After that, they seemed to reach an impasse and things calmed down.”

 

“We had a little calm and Miss Dupain-Cheng set about enforcing some order in the city. It had become overrun with criminals.”

 

“Then I got knocked up by my Father’s PR agent,” Chloe said, hugging Freddie closer. “Marinette found me all battered and bruised. She stabbed him through the heart within hours of dropping me off at the hospital.”

 

“After that,” Nathalie said, still not looking at anyone, “things went quiet again.”

 

“Nino was the last death,” Chloe replied. “He was hit by one of Marinette’s energy explosions. Adrien disappeared for weeks after that and kept a low profile.”

 

“Until your arrival,” Nathalie agreed, finally looking up.

 

“Of course, hundreds of unknown civilians have been caught up in the fights,” Chloe admitted, tapping a hand on the rich mahogany coffee table. “And a ridiculous amount of Superheroes have come and gone, pitting themselves against Marinette and Adrien. But no-one has been strong enough.”

 

“Volpina is the most active,” Nathalie muttered, frowning at her laptop screen. “She adores Adrien but can’t stand Miss Dupain-Cheng, so always attacks when Adrien’s not around.”

 

“Why on Earth do you stay here?” Alya frowned at the woman. “Why stay close to the danger?”

 

“I have always worked for the Agrestes and in this manor,” Nathalie shrugged. “I work for Miss Dupain-Cheng because Adrien wants nothing to do with this place, and I know she is desperate to keep something from their past. I am familiar and I know what I’m doing. I have nowhere else to go and I refuse to give up on them.”

 

“That’s very noble of you,” Adrien noted quietly. He hadn’t said anything for a while. Just as Marinette, he had listened with a quiet sadness for the lost people of Paris.

 

Nathalie sighed, “it’s not really. It’s just something I need to do. I will stay here until I am no longer required.”

 

The news anchor interrupted the general news for a live update. As one, they all looked to the largest screen. Adrien turned the volume up and they watched uncomfortably as a reporter presented from a smoking crater in the ground. It looked as if a meteor had hit the land and decimated the ground for miles around. It smoked menacingly, as white butterflies swept the area.

 

“They managed to get to countryside,” Chloe muttered with relief. “Less paperwork to fill out.”

 

“And no deaths,” Marinette breathed, folding her arms.

 

“This can’t go on,” Adrien noted watching the scenes with a scowl. “France won’t be able to survive.”

 

“The rest of the world has also taken note,” Nathalie admitted. “Other countries are getting restless. Magical communities around the world are starting to plan an intervention.”

 

“They are on borrowed time,” Marinette supposed. “It won’t belong before a war breaks out.”

 

“They need to be stopped,” Adrien said quietly. “Too many people have already lost their lives.”

 

Marinette couldn’t agree more.

 

 

~O~

 

 

That evening, Adrien pulled Marinette into their shared bathroom and locked the door. She blushed furiously and looked up at him in confusion.

 

“I think we need to talk about your stay with him,” Adrien said quickly, leaning against the counter. “I know you didn’t tell them everything and I’m not really sure why.”

 

“It’s not anything bad,” Marinette admitted after a minute of chewing her lip thoughtfully.

 

“But it is something?” Adrien prompted. He knew to tread carefully over all this. It was a confusing situation and their relationship was still slightly tentative since their big reveal.

 

“If I tell you,” Marinette said softly, looking anywhere but him, “will you promise not to get annoyed or obnoxious, or angry?”

 

“That sounds rather ominous,” Adrien sighed, watching the pretty girl fiddle with the bath products beside him on the counter.

 

“Will you promise?” she asked, shooting her eyes up to him before looking back down at a bottle of shampoo.

 

“I promise Princess,” Adrien replied, placing a hand on his heart. “But as your partner, can I at least discuss whatever you found out?”

 

“Of course,” Marinette smiled shyly. “Just don’t be an arse about it.”

 

“When am I an arse?” Adrien snorted, giving her a gentle nudge. “I thought I was a perfect gentleman!”

 

“Adrien is a perfect gentleman,” she laughed, “but Chat Noir has been known to be an arse sometimes.”

 

He snorted, “Chat Noir is just happy to call you out when you’re being stubborn or unreasonable. It is my duty, as your loving partner, to give you the advice you sometimes need. Adrien is a bit of a puppet.”

 

“Don’t say that,” Marinette nudged him back. “But I will give Adrien the permission to say whatever needs to be said, if it makes you feel better.”

 

“Much!”

 

“I was brought here to stop all this,” the bluenette said quietly, turning to face him. Her hip rested close to his right leg and Adrien could feel the warmth she radiated. He nodded for her to continue and tried to not be distracted as she took a shaky breath. “I can somehow pull the power from one of them and end the imbalance of Nooroo’s magic.”

 

“And how does the older Adrien want you to do that?”

 

Marinette squirmed beside him, “I have to stab either him or my older self with the dagger he stole a few weeks ago.”

 

“Stab?” Adrien frowned down at her. “You have to stab someone?”

 

Marinette nodded sadly, “he says I can pick which one to save. He thinks whoever loses the magic will survive and whoever gets the entirety of power will most definitely die.”

 

“That’s awful,” Adrien whispered, bring his hands up to rest on her petite shoulders. “You can’t decide that. It’s not fair. It’s not a plausible thing to ask of anyone!”

 

“If I do it,” Marinette continued, leaning into his touch, “Plagg and Tikki with be released from the prisons they have created around our older selves. They will be free again and all of this will stop.”

 

“But Princess,” Adrien breathed, gripping her harder, “he wants you to be responsible for whoever dies. In giving you the choice of who lives, he’s also giving you the burden of who dies!”

 

“I know,” she muttered, looking up at him with glassy eyes. “But after today, I know I have to do something.”

 

“Who are you going to save?” Adrien asked, feeling his stomach twist. If it was his choice he’d save Ladybug, without a doubt.”

 

“I want to save the person who has the most potential to recover,” Marinette admitted softly. “After the events of today, I think it should be Chat Noir. My future self is a mess. I don’t think she could cope with everything that has happened.”

 

“Are you sure it’s not because you want to save me?” Adrien sighed.

 

Marinette shrugged, “My head is telling me that Chat is the one who should be cleansed of the powers.”

 

“What happens once you’ve done the stabbing?” Adrien asked, feeling a sense of impending doom. “How does the dagger actually transmit the power from one person to another?

 

“I don’t know,” Marinette admitted, lifting her hands to hold onto his forearms. “I told the older Adrien that I couldn’t do it. He didn’t give me any further information and he didn’t press the issue. If anything, he’s been entirely respectful about the entire thing.”

 

“Except the part where he asks you to decide the fate of two human beings,” Adrien scoffed, pulling her closer. “If you are actually considering this now, you need to be given all the facts. You can’t be kept in the dark with this. It already sounds too dangerous for my liking. We need to know what to expect.”

 

“We do?”

 

“I’m not letting you do this alone,” Adrien replied firmly, squeezing her encouragingly. “If you’re to do this, I am going to be by your side.”

 

“Kitty,” she whispered, leaning her cheek against his hard chest. “I don’t deserve you.”

 

Adrien moved his hands to wrap around her back and pull the girl even closer. He placed his chin atop her head and sighed. “That’s a silly thing to say.”

 

“You continue to support me,” Marinette muttered against him. “You continue to look after me and ensure I can do what needs to be done.”

 

“That is my job Bug,” Adrien chuckled, running a hand up her back. “Besides, I can’t shake the feeling that you’re putting yourself into immense danger with whoever you decide to save. I don’t want either of them hurt you.”

 

She hummed against him and put her own hands around his body. They stood in companionable silence for a moment. Neither wanting to end the comforting embrace quite yet.

 

“I’m so glad you’re here with me,” Marinette said softly, gazing up with irresistible blue eyes.

 

Adrien smiled down at her, bringing a hand up to cup her smooth cheek. “I’d follow you anywhere.”

 

She chuckled, blushing bright red and giving him a little push away from her. “That is the cheesiest thing you have ever said to me!”

 

“I’m pawsitive it’s not!” Adrien grinned, as she rolled her eyes.

 

“No, don’t start with the puns!” Marinette groaned good naturedly, pulling his arm and leading him out of the bathroom.

 

“Come on,” Adrien laughed, “you’re my butter half!”

 

“Terrible!”

 

“You’re my significant otter!”

 

“Oh my god!”

 

“Owl always love you!”

 

“Adrien,” she stopped walking and let go of his arm, “I mean this in the nicest way, but your puns are dreadful.”

 

“We make a nice pear,” he giggled, raising an eyebrow.

 

“Give it up Kid,” Plagg drawled from his spot next to Tikki on the pillow. “You can’t win her over with puns.

 

Marinette continued to blush prettily. “He doesn’t need to win me over with anything.”

 

“I don’t?” Adrien laughed, sitting on the bed as she moved to get her pyjamas.

 

“Of course you don’t,” Marinette smiled, sending him a shy glance. “I’m won.”

 

With that she excused herself and disappeared back into the bathroom, to prepare for bed. Adrien stared at the door with a dopey look plastered to his face.

 

“You are sickening,” Plagg muttered beside him. Adrien sent two fingers his way, causing the tiny god to grumble and Tikki to giggle.

 

Adrien couldn’t care less what anyone else thought. She was the brightest spark in his lonely little life and he would follow her to the ends of the Earth. Everything about her was addictive and Adrien knew he’d never tire of being her partner.

 

Marinette was everything to him. He was going to ensure the terrible future they currently resided in never actually happened, and Adrien was going to work damn hard to keep his Lady as safe as possible.

 

~O~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For this story I have never said who Hawk Moth is on purpose. I would like to leave it up to you to decide who you imagine him to be. Having said that, if you are curious I imagine him to be Adrien's father. I will never address this as it isn't needed for the plot. I'd like to believe that in defeating Hawk Moth, Ladybug and Chat saved his Mother and Father from evil. Unfortunately, in this story it's not happily ever after and the parents die a few months after the battle.


	12. Friendship Matters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alya and Adrien are wonderful friends and Marinette decides the time has come to take action.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are heading towards the last part of the story now. Feel free to chat to me on Tumblr (AmyEatsCake). I've found the whole experience of writing again to be really positive and that is thanks to you. Everyone has been so kind and I really appreciate the support.

Alya ran her hands through Marinette’s luscious dark hair. It glittered beautifully across her lap, and Alya couldn’t help smiling down at her best friend affectionately. This wonderfully wacky girl was also Alya’s favourite Superhero. It was mind boggling and yet seemed to fit so perfectly. Now she knew, Alya really couldn’t understand how she’d never actually seen it.

 

“Do you think I should cut it?” Marinette said distractedly, with her eyes closed and her cheek resting in Alya’s lap. “It’s grown so much.”

 

“I kinda like it,” Alya admitted, continuing to stroke the hair in question with gentle fingers. “But it might start to get in your way, when you’re doing your hero duty.”

 

Marinette hummed thoughtfully and snuggled closer. “I’ve been quite lucky in the past. My hair has never been a problem when I fight.”

 

“Do you enjoy it?” Alya asked, watching her friend scrunch her nose in a ridiculously cute manner.

 

“I wouldn’t say I enjoy fighting people,” Marinette replied truthfully, “but being Ladybug is amazing. I love the strength and added abilities that come with being her. I love being able to save people and use my powers to do something good. It feels like a natural part of me now. I would find it hard to give up.”

 

“The sexy Cat Boy helps too,” Alya whispered, glancing over at Adrien. He was playing with baby Freddie on the floor a few feet away, whilst Chloe kept a recovering older Marinette company in her attic bedroom. She’d been back a couple of hours and had yet to talk to the teens. They were in the dark as to what happened between her and the older Adrien.

 

“Chat Noir is an excellent partner,” Marinette whispered back with a soft smile. “We’ve had a lot of fun working together.”

 

“A major bonus that he happens to also be the boy you’ve been pining after since you were fourteen,” Alya muttered, keeping her eye on the blond and the toddler.

 

“It does seem too good to be true,” Marinette admitted, blinking up at Alya with a light blush. “I’ve spent years trying to work out my feelings for two blondes, only for them to be the same person.”

 

Alya chuckled, “sounds like it’s meant to be.”

 

“Or I have a serious type?”

 

“Girl, you really do!” Alya said with a cheeky grin, “blond, perfect and fit as fuck!”

 

Marinette snorted and shoved her hand over Alya’s mouth, as Adrien looked over to the giggling girls. “Shut up!”

 

“Have you spoken to him about your feelings,” Alya continued, once sure that the boy was distracted by Freddie again.

 

“I don’t think this is the place for that,” Marinette replied softly, keeping her head on Alya’s lap and looking up with thoughtful eyes. “I also think we both need time to adjust to knowing each other’s identities. I don’t want to ruin our relationship as Ladybug and Chat Noir.”

 

“You won’t,” Alya said confidently. “I’ve been following you both for years in your suits. I have hours and hours of footage, as well as thousands of photos. He is completely in love with you.”

 

“In love with Ladybug,” Marinette muttered. “I don’t think he’s contemplated me as Marinette, and that will take time. Everyone loves Ladybug.”

 

“Obviously,” Alya laughed. “Magical girl with a smoking body and an endearing innocence, all wrapped up with a secret identity and a cute name. You’re most teenagers wet dreams.”

 

“Eurgh,” Marinette groaned, sitting up for the first time and moving away from her friend. “That’s disgusting Alya.”

 

“What’s disgusting?” Adrien asked, turning to fully face them and bouncing Freddie on his lap.

 

“Marinette can’t cope with the fact she’s a wet dream covered in red and black spandex,” Alya grinned, as the mortified girl covered her face with one of the sofa pillows.

 

“Oh,” Adrien replied, turning a wonderful red. “I-It’s not actually spandex.”

 

“It’s more a breathable second skin,” Tikki replied, moving from her spot on the arm of the sofa, as Marinette began to pound Alya with the pillow she’d been hiding behind.

 

“That’s not really the point of my comment,” Alya laughed as both girls fell to the floor in a mess of limps and cushions.

 

“Thank you but Freddie doesn’t need to hear your gross thoughts,” Marinette said, tickling along Alya’s side.

 

“No!” Alya breathed, pushing insistent hands away, “don’t try and fight me with dirty tricks.”

 

“Well, stop being a filthy bitc –”

 

“Marinette!” Tikki admonished, as Alya rolled around the floor in a fit of laughter and a blushing Adrien watched them with amusement.

 

The bluenette had the grace to look embarrassed. “She started it. I was merely sinking to her level.”

 

“Sinking to my level,” Alya rolled her eyes. “I am so sorry, oh holy goddess of Ladybugs!”

 

“Ha ha,” Marinette replied sarcastically. “Are you going to tease me forever?”

 

“Yes,” Alya said with a firm nod, sitting up and sweeping Marinette’s hair from her face. “It’s my duty as your friend.”

 

Marinette smiled indulgently and pulled Alya into a crushing hug.

 

“Do you attack each other often?” Adrien asked, giving Freddie one of his toys.

 

“Now and then,” Alya smiled, “but I’ve always wondered why Marinette is freakishly strong. Now I get it!”

 

“Nino has never tried to fight me,” Adrien replied thoughtfully. “Is it a girl thing?”

 

Marinette and Alya both burst into laughter.

 

“Nino is way too chilled to play fight,” Marinette giggled. “I doubt he’d ever initiate combat.”

 

“I’ve tried,” Alya said with an affectionate smile. “It feels like I’m attacking a puppy or something.”

 

“He’s very relaxed about things,” Adrien agreed with an affectionate smile. “I wish he was here with us.”

 

“Tell me about it,” Alya sighed. “I miss him like mad.”

 

“We’ll be home soon,” Marinette promised, with a light squeeze of Alya’s shoulder.

 

“We need to go out and celebrate,” Alya smiled, glancing at Adrien and Marinette with a plan forming. “The four of us should go out for a serious night in Paris. It’s not every day you time travel and find out who Ladybug and Chat Noir are!”

 

“True,” Adrien said with an excited nod. “I think a night out would be epic.”

 

Marinette agreed with a small smile. “As long as we can dance!”

 

“Obviously,” Alya snorted. “When have we ever gone out and not danced.”

 

“You like to dance?” Adrien said curiously to the petite beauty.

 

“Are you serious?” Alya laughed, “Marinette dances all night long. She’s a beast on the dance floor.”

 

“I’ve never been on a night out with anyone,” Adrien admitted quietly. “You’ll have to go easy on me.”

 

Marinette smiled sweetly. “We’ll look after you, don’t worry!”

 

“It’s a date,” Alya said with a smirk, causing both of the teens to blush. She was going to party with the Paris Superheroes and Alya was determined to make sure they were snogging each other senseless by the end of it. Hopefully, Nino would totally be up for some loving too.

~O~

 

 

Marinette paused as she entered the kitchen. The two blondes were facing each other with varying degrees of animosity. The younger Adrien was scowling up at his older counterpart with a look of absolute hate. The larger Adrien was frowning down with an uncomfortable expression.

 

“What’s going on?” Marinette said, shutting the door and glancing at the pair with a glare of her own.

 

“Little Adrien was just giving me my warning,” the older version replied. Neither broke eye contact with the other.

 

“Is that really necessary?” Marinette asked, stopping beside them and crossing her arms.

 

“I was just making my feelings clear about his plans for you,” the younger Adrien replied, looking over at her with a reassuring smile. “Your safety is the most important thing to me.”

 

“And me,” future Adrien said with a smirk. “We have the same desire to protect our Ladybug.”

 

It had been three days since the older Marinette’s return from her power surge. She was still recovering and had stayed in her room. Older Adrien had visited each day and seemed to have taken over care duty from Chloe. Both Alya and the younger blond had kept their distance from him. Marinette was a tad more comfortable around the man though and had had a number of short conversations with him.

 

“My Ladybug is my priority,” younger Adrien replied truthfully. “I understand that you want to sort your problems out, but you’ve dragged _my Lady_ into this. I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t worry about her safety. You’ve done many questionable things and I’m not going to let you use Marinette in a way that could hurt her.”

 

Marinette’s heart rate increased with his words and she couldn’t help the way her face heated up at his care. This was Adrien Agreste; her Chat Noir. Of course he would need to talk to his older self about the situation. Of course he would want to ensure her protection. What would she do without him? It made her decision even easier.

 

“I’ve thought long and hard about what to do,” Marinette admitted, looking at the pair with as much confidence as she could muster. “I still don’t feel good about stabbing anybody, but if it means I can save someone I think I should at least try.”

 

“You’re willing to do it?” Future Adrien smiled.

 

“As long as the process is clear to me,” Marinette breathed, “I’m willing to try. I have to do something. Paris will be destroyed in this time line if not.”

 

“There’s always the chance that this time line will become obsolete when we return home because we make different choices,” younger Adrien replied thoughtfully. “Maybe you don’t actually need to do anything?”

 

“I don’t think that’s a risk we should take,” his older self said quietly. “I want this resolved and _we_ can do that.”

 

“So explain it to me,” Marinette nodded. She agreed that they couldn’t leave without at least trying to do something here. “I get that I stab either you or older me and the powers with be extracted. What happens next?”

 

“The act of stabbing a person to pull their powers will only work if it’s done at the right time and in the right place,” Adrien said, with a comforting smile. “It needs to take place at night, during the last quarter of the moon. The dagger must be the one I’ve stolen; which is a double edged blade created within a volcano over a thousand years ago. It has magical properties which allow for creation, as well as destruction. It is powerful enough to contain Nooroo’s magic but will also bind the magic of Ladybug and Chat Noir. It will transfer the power into one person. We’ll only get one chance to do it with the dagger. It won’t work on the same person a second time.”

 

“Very handy that you have the blade,” younger Adrien noted, putting his hands on his hips.

 

“I spent months researching this and it took me a while to find the correct dagger,” future Adrien nodded. “Once Little Bug has done the deed, she can use Lucky Charm and then her Miraculous Cleansing Light.”

 

“Then we go home,” Marinette replied, feeling slightly nervous. “Master Fu will be able to do that won’t he?”

 

“I believe so,” he said with another encouraging nod. “He has the books and tools to do it.”

 

“So when is the last quarter of the moon?” Adrien asked, rubbing his face.

 

“We can do the ceremony tomorrow evening.”

 

“That’s very convenient,” Marinette sighed. “Why does that seem so worrying?”

 

“Because you’re overthinking things,” future Adrien grinned. “We can do this and get you home by the end of the week.”

 

Marinette glanced at her partner thoughtfully. “What do you think?”

 

“It’s your choice My Lady,” Adrien replied, resting a hand on her shoulder. “I support whatever you want to do.”

 

She smiled up at the handsome model, feeling immensely thankful for him. “I think we should do it. Let’s get it over with so we can leave.”

 

Future Adrien continued to grin. “Excellent, I’ll come and collect you at eleven tomorrow night. Do not say a word to your future self because she _will_ stop us from doing this. You’ll need to be Ladybug so Tikki must come with us too.”

 

“And I’ll be coming with you,” younger Adrien said firmly.

 

His future self shook his head. “That’s not possible. It needs to be myself and Little Lady at the start of the ceremony. I can summon My Lady at the correct moment and the magic will do the rest. If you are part of the equation, it’ll affect the magic we’re going to be extracting.”

 

“So Ladybug is unprotected?” Adrien frowned, crossing his arms.

 

“Little Ladybug will be safe with me,” the older man replied. “Despite what you think, I’m not an evil genius. I’m trying to do the right thing.”

 

“It will be okay,” Marinette said, gently touching Adrien’s crossed forearm. “I can do this.”

 

He looked down at her with concern, but whatever he saw must have eased his feelings for the plan because he sighed softly. “I know you can.”

 

“I’ll collect you tomorrow then Little Bug,” future Adrien smiled winningly. He left in a whirl of black and purple.

 

Marinette and Adrien stood in the kitchen in silence. They gazed at each other with a hint of nervousness.

 

“I’m doing the right thing aren’t I?” Marinette whispered.

 

“Who knows,” Adrien admitted, unfolding his arms and giving her shoulders another reassuring squeeze. “But if it’s what you want to do I’ll support it.”

 

“Thank you Kitty,” Marinette smiled, giving him her own little pat.

 

They spent the rest of the day acting as casual as possible. Neither discussed the plan with each other, and instead tried to do as much as possible to distract themselves. The hours dragged and they struggled to sleep that evening, but eventually the time came to tell Alya what was going to happen. She listened intently and asked a hundred and one questions, but seemed to understand Marinette’s wish to do something to help.

 

Future Adrien arrived at eleven on the dot. He appeared in their room with another winning smile and a bag held firmly in his hands.

 

“Showtime,” he grinned. “You need your spots Little Bug.”

 

Marinette nodded, giving Tikki a swift kiss. The Kwami had been surprisingly quiet about the situation. Marinette had the feeling that she was just as conflicted as her charge.

 

“Spots on!” She called, enjoying the sensation of becoming Ladybug. She looked up to the stunned faces of her friends. Each seemed to be in awe of actually seeing her become the Superhero of their dreams.

 

“Lovely,” future Adrien chuckled, “Let’s get going then.”

 

Marinette hesitated for a second, before shaking her head and throwing her arms around Alya in a firm hug.

 

“Stay safe,” Alya said, giving the older Adrien a menacing glare. “We’ll see you in a little while.”

 

“I’ve sent Master Fu all the information he will need,” the man said happily. “He’ll come and get you when the time is right.”

 

Marinette kissed Alya’s cheek and took a step away. She turned to her cat with a bashful smile. He held up his arms and Marinette didn’t need to think twice about hugging him with everything she had.

 

“See you soon Chaton,” She whispered into his ear. Marinette felt the shiver which ran through him and giggled. The blond held her even closer and then shyly kissed her own cheek in imitation of the girl’s goodbye.

 

“Save the day Bugaboo,” Adrien muttered, letting her go reluctantly.

 

Marinette gave her friends the most convincing confident look she could muster and placed her hand on the older Adrien’s arm. He nodded in his own goodbye and they left the manor in a haze of dark magic.

 

Ladybug sent a silent pray that she was doing the right thing.

 

 

 

~O~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FYI: The Last Quarter Moon definition: The time to let go, release, and forgive anything and everyone that you may feel has hurt you. It is a time of emptying the self and allowing the universe to take over or whomever you trust in your faith. It is out of your hands and no more action is needed from you.


	13. Double Crossed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Master Fu and Volpina have terrible news for our heroes and Marinette trusts Chat Noir with her heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are nearly at the end of this little adventure. Only two chapters left after this. I have loved writing every word and hope you have enjoyed the journey. I always planned for this to be a little darker than most Miraculous stories I'd read. The whole story came about because of this chapter and the next. I couldn't get it out of my head and knew I had to write it. The entire story has been leading to this moment. Try not to be too mad/sad :)

“Before you blow my head off,” Volpina sneered, trying unsuccessfully to wrestle Marinette off of her. “Listen to me. I’m trying to help you.”

 

“Help me?” The woman hissed, lifting the fox by the neck and slamming her on to the cold marble floor of the lobby. “You tried to kill my younger time travelling self. How is that helpful?”

 

“I was told to attack her!” Volpina groaned, spinning away from Marinette’s swift kick to the ribs.

 

“You lying bitch!” Marinette said through gritted teeth, pulling Volpina up by her hair.

 

“Marinette!” Alya fumed, flying down the stairs with Adrien at her heels. “What the fuck are you doing?”

 

“What does it look like I’m doing?” Marinette snapped, pulling harder at the hair in her hands. “Giving this whore a taste of her own medicine.”

 

“You should listen to what she has to say,” Alya said, coming to a stop in front of the two women.

 

Marinette rolled her eyes and pushed Volpina hard to the floor. The fox hit her head and yelped in pain.

 

“Calm it down,” Adrien muttered, moving to help Volpina up. The fox smiled winningly at the boy, even though she had a bloody nose and a blossoming bruise on her forehead.

 

“You have some cheek coming here,” Marinette spat, pushing Adrien away from the woman and sending a warning flick of her blackening fingers. “I should let you fucking bleed out at my feet for the shit you’ve pulled on me.”

 

“Well if you did that,” Volpina huffed, putting her hands on her knees and breathing deeply, “you wouldn’t know what your _cat_ is up to.”

 

“What do you mean?” Marinette frowned, as Adrien and Alya squirmed uncomfortably behind her. “What’s he done?”

 

“The question is what hasn’t he done,” Volpina laughed, standing tall with a slight flinch. She was clearly still in pain. “Whilst you’ve been babysitting the little darlings, he’s been working hard to destroy you.”

 

“You’re talking shit,” Marinette growled, lifting her hands as if to strangle the other woman.

 

Adrien placed a hand on the bluenette’s arm. Panic ripped through him as Volpina’s words placed a heavy weight on his shoulders. “Give her a chance.”

 

Marinette cast her steely gaze over to him. “She’s a liar. I don’t believe a single word that comes out of her filthy mouth.”

 

“Then perhaps you will listen to me?” Master Fu said from behind them. They all turned to the wise old man and Adrien felt his heart rate increasing.

 

“You?” Marinette scoffed, “you want to kill me. You’re as bad as her!”

 

“Miss Dupain-Cheng,” Master Fu sighed sadly, “time is of the essence. We really must get going soon or we’ll be too late and never stop Mr Agreste. We have all been quite successfully played by your partner. He has wonderfully manipulated our situations.”

 

“Oh god,” Alya moaned, sinking to the stairs in evident distress. “Marinette’s in trouble.”

 

“Indeed,” Master Fu replied, taking a careful step forward as his little turtle Kwami rested upon his shoulder. “But we can resolve this if we move quickly.”

 

“I’m in trouble?” Future Marinette frowned, looking between them all in confusion. “Why am I in trouble?”

 

“Not you,” Adrien sighed, putting his face in his hands. How could he have been so stupid?

 

“My younger self,” Marinette frowned, “where is she?”

 

“With him,” Alya mumbled, casting her eyes to Adrien with a look of absolute guilt. They had let her go. They had trusted him with their girl.

 

Marinette shook her head and moaned, “you fucking idiots!”

 

“We have been doing exactly what Chat wanted from the beginning,” Volpina replied, folding her arms.

 

“I don’t understand,” Marinette frowned, gazing between them all. “How?”

 

“He came to me a year ago asking about time travel and alternate time lines,” Master Fu admitted with a gentle sigh. “He made it clear that he’d had enough and I felt sympathy for the poor soul. I’ve been trying to help you both with research into past Kwami battles but, as you know, have come up with very little. Your story is unique and the splitting of a Miraculous has never happened before. It shouldn’t actually be possible.”

 

“Yet here I am,” Marinette scowled, waving her glittering hands, “get on with it.”

 

The little man nodded, “Adrien was interested in the idea of changing past events by travelling back in time. I said it was impossible and he left. A few months later he came across a valuable collection of books detailing how to use or manipulate time. He quickly identified how to bring a person to our time line and you know the rest.”

 

“Yes, Baby Marinette arrives with two helpers,” the woman said with a roll of her eyes. “So he wants to change past events?”

 

“Adrien _wanted_ to change past events,” Master Fu replied. “That was his original plan. He may still be able to if we sent your younger selves home and they follow a different path to you. It would make our time line dissolve and events would pan out completely differently. But that’s not what he’s doing _now_.”

 

“He made sure you found the kids first,” Volpina said, motioning to the teenagers. “I was asked to send you their signal when they arrived. Adrien wanted you to meet them.”

 

“And you happily agreed,” Marinette glared.

 

Volpina shrugged, “Chat is nice to me. Friends look out for each other.”

 

“Why did he want Marinette to meet us?” Alya asked, steering the conversation back to important matters.

 

“To see if she could be saved,” Volpina said simply. “His plans were tied to her. I think it’s safe to say he doesn’t think you can be.”

 

Marinette laughed bitterly, “I could have told him that.”

 

“Adrien told Volpina to track you,” Master Fu continued. “He made her pick a team of unlikable characters to attack you. Volpina fed you his story about me wanting to destroy you. Adrien then swooped in to play the part of your partner. He always intended to take the younger Marinette and then bring her back to you. Everything was a game; an act to ensure you reacted exactly as he wanted.”

 

“In doing so,” Volpina said with a grim smile,” he also earned the little one’s trust and you allowed him closer than you had since your friend Nino died.”

 

“I don’t understand,” Marinette frowned. “What was the point in doing all that?”

 

“I think there are two main reasons,” The little man said softly. “The first being that he needed your younger self to be willing to help him. The second being that in order to perform the magic he is planning, Adrien needed a huge power boost. You gave him that and I don’t think you would have prior to these events unfolding.”

 

Marinette closed her eyes and clenched her fists. “I gave him a boost.”

 

“Why are you telling us all this now?” Alya asked, as Adrien sat watching numbly.

 

“I went to Master Fu as soon as I had attacked the younger Marinette,” Volpina explained with a shrug. “Chat needed her to be cut by a magical blade which affects the Kwami Super suit. It’s the only thing that can actually penetrate them. Now that she has been cut, the suit will be susceptible to most weapons. It’ll take another week before the Kwami power can flush away the magic.”

 

“That doesn’t explain why you shared everything,” Adrien replied, as cold sweat clung to his back.

 

“Chat told me to attack her and rough the girl up a bit,” Volpina sighed. “He never mentioned anything about the Super suit. When I saw that she had been cut I knew something was up. Kwami magic is sacred. It should not be messed with like that. I panicked and went to Master Fu. We managed to piece together what was going on.”

 

“From what I can gather,” the old man said gently, “Adrien has stolen a very powerful dagger with the ability to bind Nooroo’s magic. He’s going to rid himself of the magic and kill Marinette in the process. Today is the perfect time to do that based on the moon’s current position.”

 

“Kill the older Marinette or the younger?” Alya moaned, gripping Adrien’s forearm in fear.

 

“That I can not tell you,” Master Fu sighed. “He needs the younger Marinette to perform the ceremony. Only someone pure of heart can use the dagger successfully; without being hurt. Neither the older Adrien or Marinette have the purity to be able to do it. The ceremony is dangerous so the younger Marinette could get injured. I believe he will summon older Marinette at the correct moment and then destroy her.”

 

The woman in question stood as still as a statue. She hadn’t opened her eyes and her entire body looked as if it had given up. Her shoulders hung low and her head was bowed. Even her fingers had stopped sparking.

 

“Everybody has done exactly what he wanted,” Volpina said, shifting uncomfortably. “We have all been played.”

 

“If he manages to reconnect Nooroo’s magic,” Master Fu continued, “I worry that most of Paris will be decimated. The power of a god should not be taken lightly. Adrien does not have the strength to control what happens once the dagger has been used.”

 

“You want my help to stop him,” Marinette whispered, looking up with a blank expression. 

 

He nodded sadly. “I will help remove your younger self from danger and send our time travellers home. I need you to hold Adrien’s attention whilst I do that. Volpina and I are not powerful enough against him. You are his equal.”

 

Banging on the door made them all jump.

 

“Marinette!” Chloe’s yell thundered into the lobby. “Marinette, you’ve gotta get out here. Adrien has blocked off an entire street and he’s doing some crazy shit right now.”

 

The bluenette opened the door, allowing the blonde fireball to waltz in like a firework.

 

“He’s lighting up Paris with some serious voodoo crap,” Chloe breathed, looking extremely out of breath and clutching her boy protectively. “I can’t get near him. It’s like a barrier has gone up around him and the little Ladybug.”

 

“That’s exactly what he’s done,” Marinette replied, using the Lobby intercom to call for Nathalie. “You need to stay here with Freddie. I’ll get Nathalie to look after you –”

 

“Freddie stays with Nathalie,” Chloe agreed as the woman in question appeared before them, “but I’m coming with you. Adrien was on Rue Lagrange and he looked like he was about to do something seriously stupid.”

 

She handed the older woman the toddler and gave him a lasting kiss. “Be a good boy. I love you so much.”

 

The little blond giggled and Nathalie held him closer.

 

“I’ll put up some protection,” Marinette said, patting her arm. “Let’s get going so that we can resolve this.”

 

Master Fu nodded, motioning for the teens to follow. Marinette sent her purple protective magic around the manor and then held out her arms for each of them to hold.

 

“Do you think you can find him?” Volpina asked, being the last to touch the bluenette.

 

“He’s on the street where we first meet as Ladybug and Chat Noir,” Marinette sighed. “I can find him.”

 

Adrien took a deep breath as he was pulled away from the manor. As dark orbs filled his senses and the world around him became unbearably tight, Adrien couldn’t help but think this was only the start of what would end up being an utterly awful night.

 

~O~

 

 

When they arrived on Rue Lagrange, the younger Marinette couldn’t help but snort. “Really?”

 

Adrien grinned handsomely, “It has special significance Little Bug. You literally fell out of the sky and changed my life. We are connected here. It should give more weight to our ceremony.”

 

“So, how do we set everything up?” Marinette asked, with a little shake of her head.

 

“I’m going to clear the street now and set up a magical barrier once my Bug is here,” Adrien replied, flexing his fingers and sending a rush of purple light around them. Within seconds the road was completely clear of people and objects. “Now we draw a five-point star on the floor and place Nooroo’s box within it.”

 

Marinette followed his instructions, drawing a large five point star shape with chalk. Adrien gave her a little smirk and flicked his fingers. Black fire seemed to rain along her chalk lines and seared the outline into the ground.

 

“Impressive,” Marinette grinned, dropping the chalk to the floor and watching as the blond carefully set the little jewellery box on the floor.

 

“Next we charge the dagger,” Adrien replied, moving gracefully to stand tall beside her. He quickly unsheathed the blade and motioned for her to hold it with him. Raising it high, they both watched in fascination as energy pulsed along their arms and into the dagger. It glittered before a burst of pure white light shot from its tip and into the sky.

 

Marinette gasped as heat filled the space around them and the blinding light continued to point up. This continued for a few minutes until the dagger hummed between their finger tips and cut out. The loss of light made them both blink and rub their eyes.

 

“What the hell?” Chloe Bourgeois hissed, appearing in the street with a security guard and her phone. She had clearly just been picked up from a night out. Her sexy red dress and killer heels highlighting an effort to woo someone. “Adrien, what the fuck are you doing?”

 

“This really doesn’t concern you,” he said with a frown. “You need to get out of here before you get yourself hurt.”

 

“You’re performing magic in the middle of the street,” she snapped, “where anyone can see you. I’ve just had hundreds of calls from worried citizens. Of course it _concerns_ me!”

 

“I’ll explain everything later,” Adrien sighed, “just go home and look after your boy.”

 

“I’m the mayor,” Chloe continued, taking a step forward. “I need to know what you’re up to.”

 

“It doesn’t matter,” Adrien said with another small sigh. “Go home.”

 

He waved a hand, sending his magic to wrap around the blonde and the large man beside her. She disappeared in an undignified huff.

 

“She’s going to go straight to Marinette.”

 

“I know she will,” Adrien replied, rolling his shoulders. “It’s a good job we are nearly ready.”

 

Marinette nodded, standing beside him with folded arms. They surveyed the scene in silence. It wouldn’t be long before everything kicked off and Marinette could feel her nerves eating away at her stomach.

 

“So now I need to know exactly who you wish to try and save,” Adrien muttered, holding the dagger carefully in his hand.

 

“I-I think,” Marinette stammered, gazing up at him before confirming her thoughts. “I would like to save you. My future self is lost to the powers. You _want_ to do something to stop the madness. She does not.”

 

“I knew you would say that,” Adrien said with a sad smile. “You do not disappoint, Little Lady.”

 

“You have always been so selfless,” Marinette noted, gazing softly up at him. “You have always put yourself in front of any danger coming my way. I think you deserve to be saved. I know you are far stronger than me when it comes to darkness. My future self is proof of that. When this is all over, I want you to have a life that doesn’t involve bad luck or destruction. I want you to be happy.”

 

Adrien shook his head and continued to smile. “I was very unhappy for a long time Little Bug. My life started when I met you and I have never been more thankful that I was given the power of bad luck and destruction. It allowed me to be your partner. Don’t ever think being Chat Noir was anything but good for me. The time we had together was the best years of my life and I could never want for more.”

 

“B-but everything went wrong,” Marinette replied, feeling choked up over his absolute faith in the words he had uttered. “You lost everything because of the Miraculous power.”

 

“I only had something to lose because of the Miraculous,” the man replied with sparkling eyes. “My Mother, my Father and my Marinette were all tied to a Miraculous in some way. I feel nothing negative towards them. It is the decisions I have made that brought me pain. I believed I could do things on my own, but bad luck can never hope to achieve anything by himself. I have always needed you. We are a team.”

 

“Yes,” Marinette breathed, “we are.”

 

“If I could do anything differently,” Adrien smiled, placing a warm hand on her shoulder. “It would be to face Hawk Moth with my Bug. All of this happened because I didn’t want to see Ladybug get hurt. It was a fatal mistake. We should have faced him as one.”

 

“I’ll make sure of it,” she said firmly. “When I go back, I’ll make sure it pans out differently.”

 

He gave her another sad smile and a gentle pat. “This ceremony will not be easy. You are going to see things that will be extremely uncomfortable to watch. I need you to promise that you’ll try to stay calm and do exactly as I say.”

 

I’ll try my best,” Marinette replied truthfully. “I feel queasy thinking about stabbing you to extract Nooroo’s power but I’ll do as you say.”

 

Adrien gave her another pat. “I’ll hold the dagger with you so that we do all this together. Ignore my Marinette and anyone who happens to join her.”

 

A steely resolve settled in Marinette’s heart. She was going to fix this mess with him. It didn’t matter how messy things got; she owed the man before her for his years of devotion. Marinette would not fail him.

 

“What do you need me to do first?” Marinette said as energy radiated from her very being. She looked up at his bright green eyes and found comfort in them. This was happening. They would fix this mess tonight.

 

“Hold the dagger,” he said simply. “Keep hold of it whilst I deal with my Marinette.”

 

No sooner had he handed the blade over, the air around them changed and brought a strange group of people with it. Marinette opened her mouth in shock as her older self, Volpina, Master Fu, Chloe, Adrien and Alya all stood before them with equal looks of determination.

 

“Wow!” The older Adrien chuckled, moving to shield the younger Marinette from everyone else. “I couldn’t have planned this better, even if I do say so myself. I was not expecting Master Fu just yet but we can work with that.”

 

The older Marinette growled, allowing her black Super suit to wrap around her body. “So it’s true!”

 

“I don’t know what they’ve told you,” he laughed, “but you’re exactly where you need to be.”

 

She took a step forward and that was all he needed to make his move. With a resounding boom, purple erupted from him and created a large bubble. It effectively encompassed the magical star, the younger Marinette, the future version of herself and Adrien. Everyone else was left on the outside and no-one seemed happy about it. Marinette watched as Alya and Adrien ran at the purple bubble and began hitting it. Volpina used her lute to summon a fire ball but it bounced off without leaving a single mark. Master Fu stood watching with a look of absolute sorrow.

 

“After everything,” future Marinette snarled, edging toward the tall man with practised poise, “this is how you want to end it?”

 

“I really don’t see any other way,” Adrien replied calmly, watching the dangerous woman like the black cat he was. “I’m sorry I had to lead you all on, but I knew you would need careful handling.”

 

Marinette snorted, pulling out her black yo-yo and giving it a warm up swing. Adrien pulled his baton, leaving his long blades strapped securely to his back. Alya and the younger Adrien continued to pound the magical bubble but their words sounded garbled. Marinette glanced their way and gave what she hoped was a comforting smile. The dagger was held securely in her left hand and she backed away as her future self moved forward.

 

“I have always trusted you,” the older woman snapped, sending her yo-yo hard at Adrien. He dodged it easily and swung his baton with grace. “Even when the world became to dark for me to bare. I never stopped trusting you.”

 

“You should have stopped the minute Nooroo entered my body,” Adrien said, hitting her yo-yo away as a second attempt shot at him. “I had proven my failure as your partner.”

 

“Did you really not care?” She said, a sob releasing from her throat. “Did I really mean nothing to you?”

 

“On the contrary,” Adrien muttered, sending his baton out to knock Marinette back. The impact on her stomach was jarring and she staggered backwards. “You mean everything to me.”

 

She gave him a look of utter confusion and then scrambled away as he started his onslaught of hits. The younger Marinette fell back until she could feel the bubble of magic behind her and watched in horror. The two future versions of Ladybug and Chat Noir fought hard. They knew each other better than anyone and that was evident in their fighting. Neither could gain the upper hand as blow after blow was sent and dodged. They looked like a team even as the fought. It was like an elaborate dance as yo-yo and baton went against the other.

 

Master Fu and the others continued to fight against the magic holding them back. Marinette could here muffled shouts but her entire attention was taken up with the fight before her. Older Ladybug got a grip on Adrien’s leg and pulled her yo-yo with all her might. He fell to the floor as she kicked his baton from his hands. Her body lit up as purple orbs began to build around her fingers. Adrien made no attempt to move as she straddled him, placing powerful hands around his neck.

 

“If I meant everything,” she whispered, gripping him hard. “Why are you so eager to destroy me?”

 

“Because I love you,” he whispered back, struggling to breathe. He placed his own glowing hands around her forearms. “I love you and I can’t carry on watching you become someone else. You are Ladybug. You are Marinette. You are not some twisted version of Hawk Moth and yet you’ve allowed yourself to be. I’d rather have the memory of you, than what you’ve become.”

 

He didn’t hesitate to move when the older Marinette momentarily loosened her grip. Pulling the knife strapped to her thigh, Adrien send the hilt down with all his strength. He hit the back of her head with a resounding thud. She fell sideways and he caught her before she hit the floor. Rolling them over, he glanced up at the younger version with a grimace.

 

“T-that looked painful,” Marinette stammered, as he got up and threw the knife away from the unconscious woman laying on the ground.

 

“We need to do this quickly,” Adrien replied, moving towards her as deafening bangs erupted against the bubble. “Hold out the blade.”

 

Marinette’s hand shook as he stopped in front of her. Blood poured from a gash on his chin and his throat looked red and blistered. He placed both hands around her tiny one and lifted the dagger between them.

 

“This is going to hurt,” Adrien said softly, sounding slightly out of breath. “Keep your eyes on me and don’t let go.”

 

She nodded once and raised her pretty blues up to his own beautiful eyes. Marinette could see a hundred different emotions running through them. Even with all the darkness, he loved her so much. That much was evident in the gaze he sent her way.

 

“If there was another way I would do it,” he whispered, lifting their joined hands. More banging could be heard around them and her heart raced as the adrenaline pumped around her little body.

 

“Fàng kāi wǒ.”

 

“Fàng kāi wǒ,” Marinette copied, keeping her eyes upon him as a blinding white light exploded from her fingers. The heat was almost unbearable and she felt her eyes water from the sensation of holding such a powerful object.

 

“I’m sorry Little Bug,” Adrien sighed, lifting the dagger in her hands and turning it towards her. She only had a second to realize what was about to happen; when hot metal was pushed violently into her chest. The blade sliced through her Super suit and into her furiously beating heart. Everything seemed to slow down and the world stopped moving.

 

“Don’t fight it,” Adrien Agreste, Chat Noir, her partner and love of her life smiled. He placed a light kiss on her forehead and pushed Marinette away from him.

 

The world went black and her heart gave up.

 

 

~O~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fàng kāi wǒ = Release me


	14. An End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The end of Ladybug and Chat Noir was never going to sit well for Alya.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What an amazing couple of months I've had writing this! I was so nervous writing something after so many years and yet, everyone has been so kind. I've never been the best at jotting things down but I really do love doing it. This story may not be perfect or as fun to read as others, but I truly appreciate the chance I've had to share it. The Miraculous community has been wonderfully welcoming and I've adored playing around with the gorgeous characters. Thank you so much for the comments, Tumblr chats and Kudos. You've all been amazing!

Alya hit the purple bubble with all her might. The damn thing didn’t bend or break. Volpina and Master Fu had each tried their own brands of magic against it but nothing seemed to work. Adrien had long given up when even Cataclysm hadn’t made a single mark. He stood with his hands on the the purple barrier, watching in quiet terror as his older self and Marinette fought.

 

The older woman seemed to have gained the upper hand, as she straddled the large blond and whispered words they could not hear. The stupid magic had successfully kept them out of reach and unable to know what was actually going on.

 

“You must be able to do something,” Alya growled at the little old man and his turtle. “Being all knowing and shit. Surely you can stop this.”

 

“I am not powerful enough,” he admitted with a bow of his head. “Ladybug and Chat Noir are the most powerful Miraculous holders. Add Hawk Moth’s twisted magic and I am rendered quite useless.”

 

“We need to get our Marinette out of there,” she snapped, turning to watch the scene before them in frustration. “They haven’t used that bloody dagger yet.”

 

“I thought Chat Noir was the stronger of the two,” Chloe noted from her position a few feet away. She hadn’t bothered coming close to the bubble and instead watched everything from a distance. Her face was deathly pale and she kept biting her nails anxiously.

 

“He is,” Volpina agreed, as the man in question hit Ladybug with her own knife. “He’s extremely strong.”

 

Alya yelled as the woman went down and the younger Adrien thumped his hands against the purple barrier in disbelief.

 

“He’s knocked her out,” Adrien hissed, as Plagg whirled around him eating a small wedge of emergency cheese. “He’s going to kill her.”

 

“Calm it Kid,” Plagg instructed, rubbing against Adrien’s cheek as he swallowed his last bite. “You need to keep your head screwed on.”

 

“How can I stay calm when Ladybug is in danger?” Adrien huffed, glaring as his older self moved towards his Lady. “We need to get in there. Claws out!”

 

Plagg was sucked back into his ring with a disgruntled yowl and Alya took a step back as Chat Noir called another Cataclysm.

 

“It’s not going to work,” Volpina said, as the younger Chat hit the bubble with as much bad luck as he could muster. She was right; it wasn’t enough.

 

“No!” He shouted, releasing Plagg and sobbing as the older version of himself held a glowing dagger with Marinette. She looked so small and so unprotected.

 

“Somebody do something!” Alya cried, as her best friend gazed up at Chat Noir with a nervous smile. “Somebody!”

 

They watched as one; soft words were whispered and within a blink of an eye, the terrible blade was sent into Ladybug’s chest.

 

“No!” They yelled, slamming against the barrier. Chloe stood with a hand over her mouth.

 

“Please,” Adrien moaned, “please, no!”

 

“This can’t be happening,” Alya whispered, tears filling her eyes. The older Chat Noir pulled the dagger from Marinette’s tiny body and pushed her away. Marinette’s eyes closed and her hand slipped from the dagger. The younger Adrien cried in shock as she passed through the bubble and into his arms.

 

Alya helped him lower her to the ground as blood poured from her open wound.

 

“L-Ladybug,” Adrien whimpered, cradling her carefully against his chest. “M-Marinette, my L-Lady.”

 

Chloe pulled off the small black shawl she’d been wearing and into Alya’s hands. “Use it to try and stop the bleeding.”

 

“She’s not going to survive this,” Alya whispered, looking at her pale friend and feeling sick to her core. “No one can survive this.”

 

“D-don’t say t-that,” Adrien muttered, through clenched teeth, yanking the shawl from her hands and pressing it against Marinette’s bleeding heart. Blood quickly soaked into the material and over his clenched fingers.

 

“Tikki is holding her transformation,” Plagg noted, placing himself on Marinette’s shoulder. “She’s a healer. Do not give up yet.”

 

“Why d-did I l-let her go w-with him?” Adrien continued to sob, holding his girl closer and kissing the top of her head. “W-why?”

 

“Oh my god!” Volpina gasped, pulling their attention away from Marinette. “What is he doing?”

 

Alya looked up to find the older Adrien burying the bloodied dagger into his own heart. He had made his way over to his Ladybug and was now on his knees, gripping the dagger with renewed concentration. The older Marinette glowed beautifully as black and purple orbs left her body in a gorgeous light dance. The shimmering magic travelled over to the older Adrien and entered his own body.

 

“He’s not killing her,” Master Fu replied softly. “Chat Noir is taking all of Nooroo’s magic.”

 

“What does that mean?” Chloe said, not taking her eyes away from the magical light display.

 

“It means he is doing what Chat Noir has always done,” Master Fu uttered proudly.

 

“Protecting her,” Alya muttered, placing her hand on the younger Adrien’s shoulder.

 

With a rush of light, the purple magic seemed to overpower the black orbs. In a burst of lilac, a little Kwami appeared over the jewellery box left in the star outline. It blinked and stretched happily, before phasing into the ancient wooden case and disappearing from sight.

 

“Nooroo is free!” Volpina grinned. “Does that mean he has been cured of his darkness?”

 

Master Fu nodded, “He is whole again. As long as the next holder is pure, Nooroo should be fine.”

 

Marinette was the next to be engulfed in light. Ruby red glistened from every part of her body. In an instant her dark suit was released and in its place was a normal looking woman. Tikki arose from the scarlet and looked around in shock. Her eyes locked in on Adrien and she put her hands to her tiny mouth as black and green fought violently against each other. Within seconds it was over; a huge shockwave burst from the darkness. It completely destroyed the bubble barrier and swept out in a roaring surge.

 

Alya blinked against it and choked when she looked up. Adrien was no more; all that remained was a gleaming dagger, a silver ring and a distraught Plagg. Tikki flew at him and hugged the tiny god in desperation.

 

“W-where did he go?” Chloe frowned, looking around as if she expected Adrien to walk around the corner.

 

“He used himself to anchor Hawk Moth’s power,” Master Fu replied with a sad smile. “He gave his life and in doing so has taken the evil out of Marinette. Plagg and Tikki are now free.”

 

Alya took a staggering step towards the older Marinette, who’d began to stir. As the bluenette opened her eyes, she gasped as if she’d been under water for a long time. Looking around, the older woman caught Tikki and Plagg’s eyes and whimpered. Alya reached her as she sat up with shaking hands.

 

“W-what?” She said in a daze. Her voice seemed so different; so unlike the sound Alya had come to associate with the older Marinette. This was her friend; cured of all darkness.

 

“Easy,” Alya said, gently helping her sit up and take in the scene.

 

“Tikki?” Marinette uttered in awe. “H-how?”

 

Plagg lifted Adrien’s ring and placed it gently in her hand.

 

“No,” she said, shaking her head. “No. He c-can’t leave me.”

 

“I know this is difficult,” Master Fu said, coming towards her carefully. “But Chat Noir needed you to do something for him.”

 

“I don’t understand,” she said, shaking her head and holding the ring in a tight grip. “I-I don’t –”

 

“You need to become Ladybug and use your cleansing light,” Master Fu continued, placing a hand on her shoulder. “You need to do this for Adrien or his sacrifice will be for nothing.”

 

Marinette gazed between them with her mouth hanging open. She couldn’t seem to process anything. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she gazed dazedly around at them all. At no point did she attempt to move.

 

“Ladybug!” Plagg growled, stopping in front of her face and pointing his finger. “You don’t have time to sit there doing nothing. Get your skinny arse up and do as Fu says. My Kitten did not give up everything for you to not do your job. Get. Up. Now!”

 

Marinette watched him with tears continuing to stream, but it seemed to do the job. She got unsteadily to her feet. “Spots o-on.”

 

As if her limps were too heavy, she slowly performed Lucky Charm. A photograph appeared in her outstretched hands. Alya sobbed as she caught the image staring back. Chat Noir and Ladybug pounding their fists and smiling happily at each other; on the day they had defeated their first akuma.

 

Ladybug let her tears flow as she threw the picture into the air and said her catchphrase.

 

“Miraculous L-Ladybug!”

 

Alya felt the most powerful Cleansing Light sweep across her and the rest of Paris. She dashed towards the younger Ladybug and cried tears of happiness this time.

 

“Oww,” younger Ladybug moaned, blinking her eyes open and touching her chest gingerly.

 

Alya giggled euphorically and feel to her knees, as young Adrien pulled her even closer. “You’re okay!”

 

The blue eyed wonder gazed up at him with pink cheeks.

 

“Am I glad to see some colour on your face,” Alya grinned, wiping her eyes and grabbing a petite hand. “You gave us such a scare Baby Girl.”

 

“Sorry,” Marinette muttered, blushing harder as she caught Adrien’s stare. “I didn’t know _I_ was going to be stabbed.”

 

“You are the bravest, craziest, most wonderful girl in the world!” Adrien grinned, swiping her fringe from her eyes. “Don’t ever scare us like that again!”

 

“I won’t,” she smiled, “we’re a team.”

 

Adrien stroked her cheek lovingly and Alya couldn’t stop grinning as he leaned down to capture Marinette’s lips in a deliciously slow kiss.

 

A cry caused them to break apart and look over to Chloe. The older Marinette had picked up the forgotten dagger and released Tikki. The little Kwami flew straight to Plagg and hugged him tightly.

 

“What are you doing?” Chloe exclaimed. “Put it down. It’s over. Let’s go home.”

 

The older Marinette shook her head, “I don’t have a home anymore. I don’t have anything.”

 

“It is the grief talking,” Master Fu replied softly. “You have lost your soul mate. In time you will heal.”

 

“No!” Marinette growled, backing away from them all. “Don’t you dare tell me I’ve lost my soul mate. You don’t understand. How could you possibly understand? Anyone can have a soul mate. He is so much more than that. I look at him and know I am home. I know I am safe.”

 

“The Ladybug and Chat Noir bond is unique,” Master Fu agreed, carefully moving closer to the distraught woman.

 

“Chat Noir found me when I didn’t know I was lost. I wouldn’t have been able to be Ladybug without him,” Marinette sobbed. “He is mine and I am his. I l-love him beneath my skin and in my bones. He is written in my past and is supposed to be my future. I-I was born to be in love with him. No force can possibly be more than that. I am his ladybug. There is nothing else like that. I-I can’t do this without him.”

 

Alya felt her heart break for her friend. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Ladybug and Chat Noir were supposed to be together. The proof of that was sat right next to her.

 

“I will not do this w-without him,” Marinette muttered, looking down at the dagger. Alya squeezed her eyes shut, knowing what she was about to do. Holding the younger Marinette’s hand harder and resting her forehead on younger Adrien’s shoulder, Alya groaned as bright light burned across her closed eyelids. Tikki cried for her chosen and Chloe swore as the world around them fell silent.

 

The end of Ladybug and Chat Noir left Alya with an ache so deep, she couldn’t possibly comprehend how she would fill it.

 

 

~O~

 

 

“It is time to send you home,” Master Fu said softly, standing beside the sobbing teenagers. They had yet to let go of each other. “You have seen and done enough here.”

 

Marinette slowly untangled herself from her best friends and looked up at the old man with a sad, watery smile. “I want to go home.”

 

Adrien and Alya helped her to stand and she refused to let go of either of their hands, as they faced Fu, Volpina and Chloe.

 

“How do we do it?” Alya asked, with a slight husk to her voice from all her crying.

 

“It’s a simple incantation,” Master Fu admitted, “but the caster must be powerful enough to keep the portal open for humans to pass through it. I have plenty of magical juice to do the job.”

 

“Good to know,” Adrien muttered, gazing at the street with a frown. “What happens to all of you now?”

 

“Our time line will continue until the moment you touch back in your Paris,” Master Fu replied, smiling gently. “Then your actions will take over and things will change for the better. You won’t be able to know whether you’ve truly affected the future until it is _your_ present. I believe you have witnessed enough to not make the same mistakes twice.”

 

“Don’t face Hawk Moth alone,” Marinette said confidently. “Always work together. I’ll make sure of it. I refuse to let this become our fate.”

 

“Besides, you’ve already changed something,” Chloe sniffed, gesturing to Adrien and Marinette’s joined hands. “You know each other’s identities and that didn’t happen for a ridiculously long time.”

 

“And your relationship is changing,” Volpina smirked. “Our Chat and Ladybug only started being disgustingly all over each other once they’d been infected by Hawk Moth. You’ve started early.”

 

Alya snorted as Marinette felt her cheeks flush. God, she hoped they would be all over each other. Fourteen year old Marinette would be so proud.

 

“Thank you for trusting Chat Noir when we did not,” Master Fu said, ignoring the women beside him and nodding respectfully at Marinette. “You made the right decision with the information you had been given.”

 

Marinette shrugged and leaned into her Kitty. “I could never doubt him, regardless of the situation. I know he’d do anything for me.”

 

“And you for him,” Master Fu chuckled. “I always knew you would be the perfect pair.”

 

“A perfect _pear_ ,” Adrien muttered with a smirk on his handsome face.

 

“Thank you for helping us,” Marinette replied, ignoring him and giving Chloe a small smile. The blonde woman nodded, looking towards the spot where her only friends had been taken from her. Sadness covered her features, causing Marinette to look away.

 

“Keep you hands joined until you feel the ground beneath your feet again,” Master Fu instructed, coming towards them and raising both his hands. “Shell on!”

 

His super suit wrapped protectively around his body and he flexed happily. “I may be old and tired, but nothing beats the feeling of a Miraculous transformation.”

 

“Love the shell,” Adrien grinned, as the slightly stronger looking little man lifted both hands again.

 

The teenagers shut their eyes and gripped each others sweaty hands, as Fu began to chant. It didn’t take long for the tingling to start. Darkness fell around them and their lungs squeezed uncomfortably. The familiar sensation of heat travelled along their bodies and weightlessness engulfed them. Within seconds it was over and they hit the ground hard.

Taking deep, shuddering breaths Marinette blinked her eyes open. They were back in the shitty little alleyway. The nightlife of Paris bleared around them and Alya’s would-be mugger lay unconscious on the floor.

 

“Home!” Alya sighed. “Finally, we’re home!”

 

Adrien giggled in relief, causing Marinette to smile and pull the pair into a bone crushing hug. She loved them both so much.

 

“Let’s never time travel again,” she whispered into their comforting huddle. “I don’t think my body could take another trip.”

 

“Agreed,” Adrien sighed, pulling both girls even closer. Tikki and Plagg joined the circle, twirling around them happily.

 

“And don’t ever go over to the dark side,” Alya said, breaking the hug and pointing at Marinette and Adrien with a very serious expression. “It does not agree with you and it will always end in doom.”

 

“Always!” Plagg agreed, coming to rest on Marinette’s shoulder. “Stay good, and light, and lovely.”

 

“Lovely?” Adrien replied, raising an eyebrow at the god.

 

“I meant Ladybug,” Plagg muttered, rolling his eyes. “Ladybug is lovely.”

 

“Thank you Plagg,” Marinette giggled, stroking his belly with a dainty finger.

 

“Chat Noir is lovely too,” Tikki twinkled, nuzzling Adrien’s face. “He is also a true hero!”

 

Alya nodded, “You both put Superman to shame. Ultimate sacrifices and all that.”

 

Marinette raised her eyes to Adrien and blinked prettily. He smiled down at her proudly. There was no question to it really. She knew she’d always stay by his side and he would always do the right thing for her. Chat Noir and Ladybug would do exactly what needed to be done; and they’d do it together.

 

Their trip to the future had changed them. In the days that followed, awkward conversations were had and a new routine was introduced. Having Alya know their identities actually helped with the crime fighting and Hawk Moth battles. She was extremely proactive as their ‘Super PA’ and helped in any way she could. Nino was also eventually brought into the fold and the four became an unstoppable force.

 

Marinette and Adrien took their new relationship slowly down it’s inevitable path. Neither wanted to do anything that could bring about the awful future they had witnessed. Marinette was perfectly content learning how her Kitty and Adrien could be one glorious human being. Both sides of the young man sent her pulse racing and her body aching. She was not going to let him leave her side for a very long time.

 

When the time came to defeat Hawk Moth, the super heroes did so together. They all sighed with relief when Nooroo was safely placed back in his Miraculous box. Master Fu had helped to withdraw the Kwami from the evil hold Hawk Moth had other him and nothing was infected or split in two. Chat Noir and Ladybug felt like true heroes as they addressed Paris and the rest of the world, in a huge press conference that evening. Neither could stop smiling as years of nervous waiting was over.

 

Their future was secure.

 

Adrien decided to propose to Marinette the very next day.

 

 

~O~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there we have it! Chat Noir needed the younger Ladybug and all her purity to perform the binding ceremony on Nooroo. The stabbing of a pure heart and an infected heart allowed for Nooroo to be cleansed and the older Ladybug to be purged of Hawk Moth’s powers.   
> A short epilogue will be up soon!


	15. A Beginning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The next little adventure for Adrien and Marinette.

Marinette awoke with a start.

 

Sweat coated her pale skin and her heart raced as fragments of her dream flitted across her mind. She moaned and sat up gingerly; her chest aching. Flashes of a silver dagger, purple and black orbs, a star burned into the ground and blinding white light continued to dance over her eyes, making the bluenette feel dizzy. It had been a long time since those sort of dreams had plagued her, and even longer since they had been able to have such an effect on her body.

 

Beside her, Adrien stirred and blinked groggily up at his wife. Smiling somewhat dreamily, he lifted an arm to pull her back down.

 

“I had a nightmare,” she whispered into the dark bedroom, with slightly pink cheeks. “I had _the_ nightmare.”

 

Her handsome husband instantly sat up and moved to pull her into a comforting hug. “You haven’t had one of those for a while.”

 

“Neither of us has,” Marinette muttered, closing her eyes and allowing her heart rate to return to normal. The large arms encircling her helped.

 

“It’s not going to happen,” Adrien said softly, resting his chin on her bare shoulder and nuzzling her cheek. Marinette’s tank top allowed him full access to a wonderful amount of soft skin. “We’re twenty-three and have successfully managed to change our futures. Everything is completely different to the time line we saw.”

 

“I know that,” Marinette sighed, rubbing her chest as her heart throbbed painfully. “I guess it just scares me even more now. I couldn’t bare losing you.”

 

“You won’t My Lady,” Adrien mumbled, placing soft kisses over her neck. “I’m not going anywhere without you.”

 

Marinette smiled up at him and placed her hands over his; on her widening front. “Soon we’ll have another member to the team.”

 

“I can’t wait,” he cooed, continuing his affectionate caress with perfectly plump lips. “My two Ladies, Plagg and Tikki. What more could a man ask for!”

 

“We don’t know whether fluff is a girl!” Marinette giggled, looking over at Plagg and Tikki as they slept peacefully in their own little bed. “Just because Plagg insists he can tell, doesn’t mean he’s actually right.”

 

Adrien shook his head and held her tighter. “You don’t get it. When I’m suited up, I can hear her too. She’s a little Lady.”

 

“Tikki thinks I’m having a Kitty with the amount of camembert I’ve been eating!”

 

“Yeah, you have been disgustingly ravenous when it comes to that vile stuff,” Adrien chuckled. “Maybe she’ll take over from me when I’m too old to hold the Miraculous?”

 

“M-Maybe,” Marinette yawned, snuggled down and leaning into Adrien’s chest. Her body continued to ache but talking was helping clear the remainder of her nightmare.

 

“It’s past midnight Bugaboo,” Adrien said, holding her with both hands. “Probably best if you try to fall back to sleep. It’s going to be a busy day tomorrow.”

 

Marinette nodded, letting her eyes flutter shut and enjoying the steady beat of her husband’s pure heart drumming against her back.

 

He was her hero in every way.

 

To think, all those years ago, at some point in dark Marinette’s twenty third year, she had to say goodbye to the man she loved forever. They didn’t get a chance to be truly happy. They didn’t get a chance to get married and have a baby together. Their life ended on exactly the same day, as they followed each other in a terrible sacrifice.

 

Marinette shot back up and looked at the alarm clock flashing midnight.

 

“Bug?”

 

“Oh my god,” she breathed, turning slightly to face him. “It happened today!”

 

“What?” Adrien frowned, sitting up slightly but refusing to move his hands from their position over the baby.

 

“We died today,” Marinette uttered softly, feeling tears form. “That’s why my heart is hurting. Today would have been the day that you used the dagger. It’s the day our old time line was destroyed!”

 

“We fixed it,” Adrien said, lifting a hand to move her fringe from her eyes. “Look at us now. You don’t need to worry anymore My Lady; it’s over.”

 

As if knowing her parents needed further encouragement, fluff kicked at their joined hands. Marinette looked down in shock and then back to Adrien with a giggle. He smiled in awe as his daughter sent another strong kick their way.

 

“She’s letting us know that everything is going to be okay,” Adrien smiled, hugging Marinette giddily. “We’re starting a new adventure now.”

 

“I love you _Chaton_ ,” Marinette sighed, grinning at the blond proudly. “I love you so much and I’m so glad I was chosen to be your Ladybug.”

 

Adrien shook his head and continued to smile lovingly. “I was chosen to be _yours_ and not a day goes by that I’m not thankful. You have given me everything I could possible need or want.”

 

“My guiding star,” Marinette whispered, pushing him back on the bed so that they could both lay down. “My hero.”

 

They wrapped themselves up in each other, pulling the duvet over their heads and giggling like fourteen year olds. With great care, Adrien ran his large hands along her back and into her hair. Marinette hummed happily and brought his head closer so that she could leisurely kiss his beautiful lips. They sighed as one and together chased away the nightmares of a long gone future and past. Their lives would be happy, healthy and gloriously long.

 

Marinette Agreste knew she was truly the luckiest person in the world.

  

 

~O~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for taking the time to read, send Kudos and comment! I've had a blast writing this!


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